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9 Document(s) [ Subject: Droughts ]

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and Homeland Security
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Agriculture | Aquaculture | Diet and nutrition | Droughts | Fire prevention | Firing ranges | Food safety | Food stamps | Grain elevators and warehouses | Horse slaughter | Horses | Land conservation | Obesity | Ranches and ranching | Rural areas | Small farms | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Veterinarians | Water conservation |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 Ag86r
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [47 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Review the impact of the drought on the Texas agricultural and ranching industry.
2. Develop methods and legislative recommendations to minimize the effects of drought and respond to the challenges for farmers and ranchers.
3. The committee should focus on the following:
  • Implementation of best management practices for agricultural conservation
  • Alternatives to federal assistance due to drought losses
  • Long-term economic impact of the drought on the agricultural sector of the Texas economy
  • Better management of federal, state, and local parkland/preserve-land to reduce fire risk, including cooperative fire mitigation efforts with surrounding properties and neighborhoods
  • Analysis of Texas forest service and land management recommendations and options from other states for mitigating risk
4. Study and make recommendations for ways to increase investment, employment and production in Texas agriculture. Include a review of current land use and market trends as they relate to agricultural use and make recommendations for ways to support and enhance small farm and ranch operations.
5. Study current federal, state and local safeguards regarding seafood consumption in Texas. Review existing academic studies, and federal, state, and private data relating to the safety of imported seafood, and provide recommendations on the need for additional studies and testing related to safety advisories for the public.
6. Assess the current veterinary medical workforce, and make recommendations to address any disparities between small animal (companion) and large animal (food/fiber) veterinarians. Review the Rural Veterinary Medical Loan program (RVML) and make recommendations to enhance the use of RVML funds and other funding sources to increase the veterinary medical workforce.
7. Review the impact of state laws relating to the closure of horse slaughter facilities across the United States. Analyze the impact on the equine industry and agricultural sector of the Texas economy.
8. Examine ways to increase the use of Texas agricultural products in healthy foods readily available to Texas consumers. Evaluate the role of community initiatives in reducing obesity and diet-related diseases and make recommendations to support state and local efforts.
9. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Affairs, 82nd Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the implementation and effects of current and proposed federal laws and regulations, including Environmental Protection Agency initiatives that may impact the Texas farming and ranching industry.
Committee: Senate Business and Commerce
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Alternative energy | Broadband infrastructure | Building codes | Consumer credit and debt | Consumer Credit Commissioner, Office of | Credit service organizations | Droughts | Electric meters | Electric power plants | Electric Reliability Council of Texas | Electric utilities | Electric utility deregulation | Electricity supplies | Electricity transmission and distribution | Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. | Homeowners insurance | Insurance, Texas Department of | Job training programs | Lifeline | Municipally-owned utilities | Occupational licenses | Rural areas | Subprime lending | Telecommunications | Telecommunications deregulation | Texas Windstorm Insurance Association | Universal Service Fund | Water and wastewater utility rates and charges | Workforce |
Library Call Number: L1836.83 B963
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [222 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study the impact of drought, regulatory changes proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, and changing market conditions on Texas' electrical market. Make recommendations, if needed to ensure continued access to reliable and affordable electricity. *
2. Assess the impact of extreme drought conditions on electric generation capacity.
3. Identify those regions of Texas that will be most affected by a lack of capacity.
4. Analyze response plans and make recommendations to improve and expedite those plans.
5. Study and make recommendations for workforce training programs in Texas to ensure that such programs meet business and worker needs. Specifically, study whether such programs target economic growth areas and future workforce needs of the health care, skilled trades, construction, manufacturing, aerospace, and information technology industries and help retain workers in those trades and fields.
6. Study the state's approach to licensing and regulation of occupations to ensure protection of public welfare, trust, health, and safety and eliminate unnecessary, overly restrictive, or anti-competitive regulation. Review guidelines and other states' approaches for determining when regulation is necessary and make recommendations for improving Texas' regulatory system.
7. Conduct a broad review of the Texas homeowners insurance market and make recommendations to improve transparency and consumer education, ensure fair practices, and lower rates. Specifically, consider the following:
  • Compare Texas' homeowners insurance premiums with those of other states and identify the factors underlying Texas' premium levels and recommend steps that the Legislature may take to reduce homeowners' rates, if appropriate;
  • Study strategies that increase awareness of state insurance resources to help consumers compare rates and coverage among various insurance providers
  • Study the relationship between insurance premiums and construction costs, especially as associated with recovery from natural disasters, to ensure that consumers are treated fairly;
  • Review the use by insurers, in rating and underwriting decisions, of customer inquiries regarding the general terms or conditions of, or coverage offered under, an insurance policy.
8. Study the relationship between city governments and municipally-owned utilities, including any duplicative or redundant functions, the amounts and justifications required for transfer payments between the entities, and the benefits and disadvantages of alternative governance structures.
9. Analyze the state of the telecommunications market in Texas, including the costs and benefits of full deregulation of the market; the impact and viability of the Texas Universal Service Fund and Provider of Last Resort requirements; the impact of SB 980, Regular Session, 82nd Legislature, relating to telecommunications regulation and rulemaking; the availability of broadband; telecommunications service discounts; and rights-­of-way charges. Make recommendations to enhance services, support the industry, and ensure adequate and affordable access for consumers.
10. Review current and pending ERCOT protocols as they apply to all generation technology, and identify those protocols that may provide operational, administrative, or competitive advantages to any specific generation by fuel type. Consider the impact any revisions to the protocols may have on grid reliability and electricity rates. Make recommendations for revisions or statutory changes to limit distortions in the Texas electrical market.
11. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, 82nd Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, review the implementation of HB 2592 and HB 2594 relating to payday lending, and make recommendations relating to consistency and coordination with local ordinances and federal law.
12. Study whether advanced meters, or smart meters, that have been, and will be, installed in Texas have harmful effects on health. Report findings on whether an independent testing company perform an analysis on the safety of advanced meters should be commissioned and the appropriate organization to conduct such a study.
Committee: House Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Alamo | Aquatic vegetation | Battleship Texas | Chronic Wasting disease | Commission on the Arts, Texas | Daughters of the Republic of Texas | Deer | Droughts | Endangered species | Film Commission, Texas | Fisheries | General Land Office, Texas | Historical Commission, Texas | Invasive species | Library & Archives Commission, Texas State | License plates | Office of Economic Development and Tourism | Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of | Sporting goods sales taxes | State parks | State Preservation Board | Texas State Cemetery | Tourism | Wildfires | Wildlife |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 R245
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [103 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Evaluate strategies to control known existing invasive aquatic species, including species commonly referred to as giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), water hyacinths (family Pontederiaceae), and zebra mussels (family Dreissenidae).
2. Study and make recommendations for improving deer breeder compliance with existing laws and regulations.
3. Recommend approaches to improve long-term funding for state park acquisition, development, and maintenance.
4. Study the effects the drought and wildfires have had on tourism and recreation in Texas. Make recommendations for ways to prevent future losses.
5. Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 82nd Legislature, including the General Land Office's implementation of HB 3726, 82nd R.S., regarding the administration of the Alamo.
Committee: Senate Economic Development
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Droughts | Economy | Wildfires |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 Ec74s
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [37 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Assess the economic impact of long-term drought on all sectors of the Texas economy.
2. Include additional analysis of economic consequences of wildland fires.
3. Develop a compendium of federal, state, and local funding and other assistance alternatives for reducing the long-term economic consequences of the drought.
Committee: House Natural Resources
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Coal mining | Droughts | Electric power plants | Electricity supplies | Environmental Quality, Texas Commission on | General Land Office, Texas | Hydraulic fracturing | Irrigation | Natural gas production | Oil production | Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of | Uranium mines | Water conservation | Water desalination | Water Development Board, Texas | Water planning | Water rights |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 N218h
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [184 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Monitor the ongoing statewide drought and the performance of state, regional, and local entities in addressing it. Examine the impact of the drought on the state water plan, including an evaluation of how well the state's existing water resources can meet demand, the need for additional funding sources to implement the plan, and the effectiveness of current drought planning and drought management policies. Identify short-term and long-term strategies to help the state better cope with drought and assess any obstacles, including state and federal regulations, to implementation of these strategies.
2. Examine the interplay of water and energy resources and needs in the state. Study the economic, environmental, and social impacts of water use in energy production and exploration, including the impacts of this use on regional and state water planning. Determine the current and likely future water needs of power generation and energy production, and evaluate options to develop new or alternative supplies. Include an evaluation of current issues involving water use for oil and gas production and related water quality issues.
3. Evaluate the status of desalination projects in Texas. Include an evaluation of the regulation of brackish groundwater and whether opportunities exist to facilitate better utilization of this groundwater to meet future needs.
4. Study ways to enhance incentives for water conservation in agricultural irrigation.
Committee: House Natural Resources
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: House Committee on Natural Resources, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 2010 : a report to the House of Representatives, 82nd Texas Legislature
Subjects: Droughts | Groundwater | Groundwater conservation districts | Texas State Water Plan | Water conservation | Water desalination | Water planning | Water service |
Library Call Number: L1836.81 N218h
Session: 81st R.S. (2009)
Online version: View report [89 pages  File size: 879 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Evaluate groundwater regulations and permitting processes throughout the state, including the role of state agencies in groundwater management, the development of desired future conditions, and the adoption of groundwater management plans in relation to regional and state water planning.
2. Monitor the effects of current and proposed federal initiatives that could impact the implementation of the State Water Plan. Evaluate the policies and investments developed by other states dealing with water issues similar to the State of Texas.
3. Monitor ongoing drought conditions and initiatives to promote water conservation through the review of the following: state requirements for the submittal of water conservation plans and annual reporting; the "trigger" for use of drought contingency plans; recommendations by state agencies and the Water Conservation Advisory Council; and progress toward the development of recycled water resources and desalination projects.
4. Evaluate the regulatory model for investor-owned water and sewer utilities, including rate case process and timing, consultant fee recovery, overall cost reductions, and more effective consumer participation.
5. Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction.
Supporting documents
Committee: House Natural Resources
Title: Testimony, Aquifer Group, LLC, A Discussion of Solutions, March 9, 2010 (Subject: Aquifer Storage and Watershed Restoration Can Sustainably and Economically Augment Groundwater Supplies and Environmental Water Flows if the State Provides an Adequate Regulatory Framework)
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1801.9 N218H 81 2010: MAR 9
Session: 81st R.S. (2009)
Online version: View document [17 pages  File size: 26,248 kb]
Committee: Senate Natural Resources
Title: Interim Report - Water Issues
Library Catalog Title: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources interim report to the 80th Legislature : water issues
Subjects: Droughts | Interbasin water transfers | Texas State Water Plan | Water conservation | Water marketing | Water planning | Water rights |
Library Call Number: L1836.79 N219w
Session: 79th R.S. (2005)
Online version: View report [381 pages  File size: 47,137 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Study and assess all issues related to ground and surface water law, policy and management, including, but not limited to:
  • the role of federal, state, regional and local governments, including river authorities and other water management entities, and their jurisdiction, authority, and coordination in setting consistent, nondiscriminatory water policies;
  • the statutory, regulatory, and/or economic impediments to implementing key water management strategies recommended in the Regional and State Water Plans;
  • the role of groundwater conservation districts;
  • conjunctive use of both ground and surface water resources;
  • rule of capture;
  • historic use standards;
  • water infrastructure and financing, including financing sources for new water resources;
  • interbasin transfers;
  • water rights, including environmental flows, junior water rights;
  • the transition of water rights from agricultural to municipal and industrial uses and coordination among transitioning water management authorities;
  • conservation;
  • drought preparedness;
  • and water marketing.
Committee: House Drouth (Drought) Sufferers
Title: Report
Library Catalog Title: [Report].
Subjects: Droughts |
Library Call Number: H.J. of Tex., 20th Leg., R.S. 112 (1887)
Session: 20th R.S. (1887)
Online version: View report [15 pages  File size: 737 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Take testimony as to the extent and nature of the sufferings of the people in the drouth region of the State.

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

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