The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G
March 26, 2011
The Professional Geoscientist Task Force has determined, due to lack of support in the Legislature and the Governor's office to leave the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, that our best bet is to come up with new legislation that will combine the PGs, Professional Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors into one "Department of Professional Services". The idea is to create an amalgamation of independent boards that will share an administrative staff. This idea currently has some support in the Legislature and we are checking with the Governor's office for support, but we believe it will be there. The details still need to be worked out, which includes discussing the idea with the other boards that we'll be involved with, but it will have the benefit of accomplishing the Governor's goal of combining like-boards while allowing each of the boards to control their destinies without interference from each other.
The Task Force is also developing a way for all geological groups and individuals to be able to better coordinate legislative attacks on the PG board in the future. There has long been a need for this and the lack of this coordination is part of the reason why the PG board has problems with the Legislature and/or the Governor's office every two years. This coordination will involve a central group that will be charged with interacting with the Legislature and Governor's office to assure that Geologists are being properly represented.
I've been compiling a list of proposed bills that may be of interest to geologists. If you have any that I have missed, let me know and I'll include them. Filing of proposed bills has begun and here's the ones I'm currently watching. All new items or updates are in bold:
HB-377, by McClendon, Relating to the expenditure of money from the general revenue fund for rail projects. 3/21/2011 - Committee report sent to Calendars. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB377
HB-444, by Creighton, Relating to notification of applications for permits for certain injection wells. "If an application is received in proper form for a permit for an injection well to dispose of industrial and municipal waste and the proposed location of the injection well is in the territory of a groundwater conservation district, the executive director shall submit a copy of the application to the governing body of the groundwater conservation district. The groundwater conservation district may make recommendations to the commission concerning any aspect of the application..." 3/25/2011 - Committee report distributed. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB444
HB-977, by Burnham, Relating to the development of a climate adaptation plan by certain entities. 2/28/2011 - Referred to State Affairs. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB977
HB-1164, by Keffer, Relating to enforcement actions by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers against political subdivisions and certain public officials. The PE Board may not impose an administrative penalty for a violation on a political subdivision, or public official or employee of the state or of a political subdivision of the state who is not licensed under this chapter. Geologists aren't mentioned in this piece of legislation, but could eventually be. 3/1/2011 - Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1164
HB-1302, by Larson, Relating to the establishment of the Texas Energy and Communications Commission to consolidate the functions of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Railroad Commission of Texas. 3/1/2011 - Referred to Energy Resources . For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1302