Alliance for a Clean Texas » House Committee on Energy Resources http://www.acttexas.org Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:10:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Twelve Days to Go! – May 20 http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/20/twelve-days-to-go-may-20/ http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/20/twelve-days-to-go-may-20/#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 20:06:28 +0000 lize http://www.acttexas.org/?p=1095 Great news: Four of ACT’s top priority bills have made it one step farther in the legislative process. The House Committee on Energy Resources passed SB 545 out of committee yesterday afternoon. House Environmental Regulation reported the committee substitute for SB 16 out of committee last night. And this afternoon House State Affairs voted SB 541 out of committee.

The next step for these three bills is to be placed on the House calendar. ACT urges the members of the House Calendars committee to place SB 545, SB 16 and SB 541 on the calendar before Sunday (the deadline for Senate bills to be heard in the House). The people of Texas expect their lawmakers to take bold action on energy this session. The Texas Legislature could make the 81st Session an historic one for the development of the next great Texas energy industries. While many traditional energy businesses and their allies oppose these bills, the people of Texas know that for Texas to be as strong in the 21st century as it has been in the 20th, it needs to stay ahead of the curve on all energy development.

Another ACT high priority bill reaches the next step in the legislative process tomorrow morning. HB 821, the producer TV takeback bill, will be heard in the Senate Committee of Business & Commerce tomorrow morning. An unusual committee referral (most recycling and landfill bills are referred to Senate Natural Resouces), ACT hopes that the members of Senate B & C can see the value of this timely bill that will help keep more lead, mercury and other hazardous materials out of our landfills.

]]> http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/20/twelve-days-to-go-may-20/feed/ 0 Thirteen Days – May 19 http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/19/thirteen-days-may-19/ http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/19/thirteen-days-may-19/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 16:06:38 +0000 lize http://www.acttexas.org/?p=1087 With the deadline for House bills to pass third reading last Friday at midnight, the 81st Session entered its final phase. The good news is that seven of ACT’s high priority bills have made it to the last two weeks of the session. Here’s a run-down of the bills’ current status:

SB 545 Fraser Passed the Senate; currently in House Committee on Energy Resources
SB 541 Watson Passed the Senate; currently in House Committee on State Affairs
SB 546 Fraser Passed both Senate and House
HB 280 Anchia SB 546 is companion (HB 280 made it through House)
SB 16
 Averitt Passed the Senate; committee substitute adopted by House Committee on Environmental Regulation (5/18).
HB 1553 Burnam Left pending in House Calendars Committee (no longer moving)
SB 184 Watson Passed Senate; in House Committee on Environmental Regulation
HB 821 Leibowitz Passed House; in Senate Committee on Business and Commerce
HB 300 Isett Passed House; in Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security

ACT will continue to follow these bills and post updates on their progress. To receive action alerts from ACT, please sign up for our email list. And to follow bill progress in real-time, sign up to follow ACT on Twitter.

]]> http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/19/thirteen-days-may-19/feed/ 0 Energy Efficiency Update – April 16 http://www.acttexas.org/2009/04/16/energy-efficiency-update-april-16/ http://www.acttexas.org/2009/04/16/energy-efficiency-update-april-16/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:18:35 +0000 lize http://www.acttexas.org/?p=817 Tuesday April 14 was a big day for energy efficiency legislation in the Capitol. Senator Averitt’s SB 16 passed through the Senate on a final vote of 22-8 (with one absence). Often referred to as the omnibus clean air bill of the 81st Session, SB 16 is also among the most important energy efficiency bills filed this year. Senator Averitt’s bill includes upgrading state-wide building codes, energy efficiency standards for appliances, and the Energy Star appliance rebate program.

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Business and Industry unanimously passed another major energy efficiency bill out of committee. SB 546 by Senator Fraser sets an aggressive goal for energy efficiency for the state: a 50% reduction in growth by 2015. This bill now moves to the full Senate.

Not to be left out, Tuesday saw activity on energy efficiency on the House side as well, but this time, it was in the form of a press conference. Representative Anchia and Representative Strama, joined by members of ACT’s energy efficiency team, called for the Texas House to pass energy efficiency legislation this session.

Representative Anchia’s omnibus efficiency bill HB 280 and Representative Strama’s HB 1391 provide the programs and financial incentives that will help Texas realize its potential in the cleanest energy source of all – the watt you never use. ACT urges the Chairman Keffer and the House Committee on Energy Resources to move these two bills (among many others) out of committee and onto the House floor in the coming week.

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