Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB224 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R894 SMH-F
2	2	By: Guillen H.B. No. 224
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the name and governance of the Railroad Commission of
8	8	Texas.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 81, Natural Resources
11	11	Code, is amended to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 81. TEXAS ENERGY RESOURCES [RAILROAD] COMMISSION [OF
13	13	TEXAS]
14	14	SECTION 2. Section 81.001, Natural Resources Code, is
15	15	amended to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 81.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
17	17	(1) "Commission" means the Texas Energy Resources
18	18	[Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
19	19	(2) "Commissioner" means any member of the Texas
20	20	Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
21	21	SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Natural Resources
22	22	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.003 to read as follows:
23	23	Sec. 81.003. TEXAS ENERGY RESOURCES COMMISSION. (a) The
24	24	Railroad Commission of Texas is renamed the Texas Energy Resources
25	25	Commission.
26	26	(b) A reference in law to:
27	27	(1) the Railroad Commission of Texas means the Texas
28	28	Energy Resources Commission; and
29	29	(2) a railroad commissioner or a member of the
30	30	Railroad Commission of Texas means a member of the Texas Energy
31	31	Resources Commission.
32	32	SECTION 4. Section 81.01001, Natural Resources Code, is
33	33	amended to read as follows:
34	34	Sec. 81.01001. SUNSET PROVISION. (a) The Texas Energy
35	35	Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas] is subject to Chapter
36	36	325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
37	37	existence as provided by that chapter, the commission is abolished
38	38	September 1, 2017.
39	39	(a-1) The review of the Texas Energy Resources [Railroad]
40	40	Commission [of Texas] by the Sunset Advisory Commission in
41	41	preparation for the work of the 85th Legislature in Regular Session
42	42	is not limited to the appropriateness of recommendations made by
43	43	the Sunset Advisory Commission to the 83rd Legislature. In the
44	44	Sunset Advisory Commission's report to the 85th Legislature, the
45	45	Sunset Advisory Commission may include any recommendations it
46	46	considers appropriate. The review must include an examination of
47	47	alternative organizational structures for the Texas Energy
48	48	Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas] and alternative methods
49	49	for performing the commission's responsibilities that would enable
50	50	the efficient and effective accomplishment of the commission's
51	51	functions. The examination must include an assessment of existing
52	52	state agencies that would be able to perform the commission's
53	53	functions. The review must also include an examination of methods
54	54	to increase the public's role in decisions of the Texas Energy
55	55	Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas] that relate to the
56	56	effect of the growth of resource extraction. The Sunset Advisory
57	57	Commission may contract for assistance in performing the review,
58	58	including assistance in evaluating, auditing, and forensic
59	59	auditing, as the Sunset Advisory Commission determines necessary.
60	60	This subsection expires September 1, 2017.
61	61	(b) The Texas Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission [of
62	62	Texas] shall pay the costs incurred by the Sunset Advisory
63	63	Commission in performing a review of the commission under this
64	64	section. The Sunset Advisory Commission shall determine the costs,
65	65	and the commission shall pay the amount of those costs promptly on
66	66	receipt of a statement from the Sunset Advisory Commission
67	67	detailing the costs.
68	68	SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 81, Natural Resources
69	69	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.010015 to read as follows:
70	70	Sec. 81.010015. ELECTION AND TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS;
71	71	VACANCIES. (a) The commission is composed of three commissioners
72	72	elected at the general election for state and county officers.
73	73	(b) Commissioners serve staggered terms of six years, with
74	74	the term of one commissioner expiring December 31 of each
75	75	even-numbered year.
76	76	(c) The governor shall appoint a person to fill a vacancy on
77	77	the commission until the next general election.
78	78	SECTION 6. Section 81.01005, Natural Resources Code, is
79	79	amended to read as follows:
80	80	Sec. 81.01005. NAME AND SEAL. (a) The commissioners are
81	81	known collectively as the "Texas Energy Resources [Railroad]
82	82	Commission [of Texas]."
83	83	(b) The seal of the commission contains a star of five
84	84	points with the words "Texas Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission
85	85	[of Texas]" engraved on it.
86	86	SECTION 7. The heading to Section 81.0521, Natural
87	87	Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:
88	88	Sec. 81.0521. FEE FOR APPLICATION FOR EXCEPTION TO
89	89	[RAILROAD] COMMISSION RULE.
90	90	SECTION 8. Section 52.092(c), Election Code, is amended to
91	91	read as follows:
92	92	(c) Statewide offices of the state government shall be
93	93	listed in the following order:
94	94	(1) governor;
95	95	(2) lieutenant governor;
96	96	(3) attorney general;
97	97	(4) comptroller of public accounts;
98	98	(5) commissioner of the General Land Office;
99	99	(6) commissioner of agriculture;
100	100	(7) energy resources [railroad] commissioner;
101	101	(8) chief justice, supreme court;
102	102	(9) justice, supreme court;
103	103	(10) presiding judge, court of criminal appeals;
104	104	(11) judge, court of criminal appeals.
105	105	SECTION 9. On the effective date of this Act, the name of
106	106	the Railroad Commission of Texas is changed to the Texas Energy
107	107	Resources Commission. The change of the agency's name does not
108	108	affect:
109	109	(1) the agency's powers, duties, rights, or
110	110	obligations;
111	111	(2) the agency's personnel, equipment, data,
112	112	documents, facilities, contracts, items, other property,
113	113	appropriations, rules, or decisions;
114	114	(3) a proceeding of or involving the agency under the
115	115	name of the Railroad Commission of Texas; or
116	116	(4) the terms of the chairman or other members of the
117	117	governing body of the agency.
118	118	SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.