Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3973 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 3973
	1	+	By: Walle, Morales Shaw, Zwiener H.B. No. 3973
	2	+	(Senate Sponsor - Nichols)
	3	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
	4	+	May 17, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
	5	+	May 21, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	6	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 12, Nays 0; May 21, 2021,
	7	+	sent to printer.)
	8	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	9	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3973 By: Nichols
2	10
3	11
	12	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	13		AN ACT
5	14		relating to a study on abandoned oil and gas wells in this state and
6	15		the use of the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.
7	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	17		SECTION 1. (a) A joint interim committee is created to
9	18		study abandoned oil and gas wells in this state and the use of the
10	19		oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.
11	20		(b) The committee shall be composed of:
12	21		(1) five members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
13	22		and
14	23		(2) five members appointed by the speaker of the house
15	24		of representatives.
16	25		(c) The committee shall convene at the call of the presiding
17	26		officer.
18	27		(d) The committee has all other powers and duties provided
19	28		to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and
20	29		house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government
21	30		Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees on
22	31		administration.
23	32		(e) Not later than the 60th day after the effective date of
24	33		this Act, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of
25	34		representatives shall appoint the members of the interim committee
26	35		created under this section.
27	36		(f) The committee shall:
28	37		(1) study matters related to abandoned oil and gas
29	38		wells in this state, including the costs associated with plugging
30	39		abandoned wells and bonding requirements imposed on owners or
31	40		operators of oil and gas wells;
32	41		(2) identify potential solutions to reduce the need
33	42		for general revenue spending to plug abandoned wells;
34		-	(3) conduct a review of the oil and gas regulation and
	43	+	(3) conduct review of the oil and gas regulation and
35	44		cleanup fund, including:
36	45		(A) revenue sources of the fund;
37	46		(B) projected revenue for the fund through fiscal
38	47		year 2025 based on the fund's existing fee and fine structure; and
39	48		(C) an assessment of the rules and statutory
40	49		limits that determine the amount of the fees and fines that
41		-	contribute to the fund; and
	50	+	contribute to the fund; and,
42	51		(4) evaluate and identify other sources of potential
43	52		revenue, including federal funds and other existing taxes and fees
44	53		paid to the benefit of the state which could be utilized to meet the
45	54		goals of the committee.
46	55		(g) The Railroad Commission of Texas shall provide
47	56		information to the committee necessary to conduct the study under
48	57		Subsection (f) of this section, including information related to:
49	58		(1) budget and performance measures of the commission
50	59		and fees and fines collected by the commission; and
51	60		(2) any regulatory or statutory changes needed to
52	61		assure adequate operating revenue for the commission, including
53	62		revenue used to plug abandoned oil and gas wells.
54	63		(h) Not later than December 1, 2022, the joint interim
55	64		committee shall report the committee's findings and
56	65		recommendations to the legislature.
57	66		(i) The committee is abolished and this section expires
58	67		January 1, 2023.
59	68		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
60		-	______________________________ ______________________________
61		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
62		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3973 was passed by the House on April
63		-	29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 108, Nays 37, 1 present, not
64		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
65		-	No. 3973 on May 30, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 0,
66		-	1 present, not voting.
67		-	______________________________
68		-	Chief Clerk of the House
69		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3973 was passed by the Senate, with
70		-	amendments, on May 24, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays
71		-	1.
72		-	______________________________
73		-	Secretary of the Senate
74		-	APPROVED: __________________
75		-	Date
76		-	__________________
77		-	Governor
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