INTERIM. 4 Bills that Require Interim Studies due in 2016.

Texas Legislative Council was kind enought o comb through 2015 legislation to tell us all about other interim studies buried deep in bills & resolutions.

For energy and water, we’re talking about these bills:

• UT Austin’s TexNet Seismic Monitoring program report
• What the report will answer: 
  • modeling of reservoir behavior for systems of wells 
  • establishment of a technical advisory committee
  • costs necessary to maintain the TexNet Seismic Monitoring program after 2016 
• When the report is due: December 1, 2016 
• What bill triggered this: HB 2, Section 16

• ​PUC will report on Alternative Electric Utility Rate Making Mechanisms
• What the report will answer:
  • recommendreforms to the ratemaking process 
  • reforms must improve  the efficiency and effectiveness of the oversight of electric utilities
  • reforms must ensure that electric rates are just and reasonable 
• When the report is due: January 31, 2019 
• What bill triggered this: SB 774, Section 1

• GLO, with help from TWDB, to study the use of wind or solar power to desalinate brackish groundwater
• What the report will answer: the report is required to contain the results of the study
• When the report is due: December 31, 2016 
• What bill triggered this? SB 991, Section 2

• TWDB to study the hydrology and geology of confined and unconfined aquifers 
• What the report will answer: 
  • determine the quality and quantity of groundwater in these aquifers
  • whether these aquifers are tributary or non-tributary
  • the contribution of these aquifers to any surface flow or to any other aquifer in Texas 
• When is the report due? December 31, 2016 
• What bill triggered this? HB 1232, Section 1

TLC | Interim Studies Established by Enrolled Bills and Resolutions 84th Legislature