Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1701 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R3869 ANG-D
2	2	By: Johnson S.B. No. 1701
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 TEXAS]
13	13	SECTION 2. Section 81.001, Natural Resources Code, is
14	14	amended to read as follows:
15	15	Sec. 81.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
16	16	(1) "Commission" means the Texas Energy Resources
17	17	[Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
18	18	(2) "Commissioner" means any member of the Texas
19	19	Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
20	20	SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Natural Resources
21	21	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.003 to read as follows:
22	22	Sec. 81.003. TEXAS ENERGY RESOURCES COMMISSION. (a) The
23	23	Railroad Commission of Texas is renamed the Texas Energy Resources
24	24	Commission.
25	25	(b) A reference in law to:
26	26	(1) the Railroad Commission of Texas means the Texas
27	27	Energy Resources Commission; and
28	28	(2) a railroad commissioner or a member of the
29	29	Railroad Commission of Texas means a member of the Texas Energy
30	30	Resources Commission.
31	31	SECTION 4. Section 81.01001, Natural Resources Code, is
32	32	amended to read as follows:
33	33	Sec. 81.01001. SUNSET PROVISION. (a) The Texas Energy
34	34	Resources [Railroad] Commission [of Texas] is subject to Chapter
35	35	325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
36	36	existence as provided by that chapter, the commission is abolished
37	37	September 1, 2029.
38	38	(b) The Texas Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission [of
39	39	Texas] shall pay the costs incurred by the Sunset Advisory
40	40	Commission in performing a review of the commission under this
41	41	section. The Sunset Advisory Commission shall determine the
42	42	costs, and the commission shall pay the amount of those costs
43	43	promptly on receipt of a statement from the Sunset Advisory
44	44	Commission detailing the costs.
45	45	SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 81, Natural Resources
46	46	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.010015 to read as follows:
47	47	Sec. 81.010015. ELECTION AND TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS;
48	48	VACANCIES. (a) The commission is composed of three commissioners
49	49	elected at the general election for state and county officers.
50	50	(b) Commissioners serve staggered terms of six years, with
51	51	the term of one commissioner expiring December 31 of each
52	52	even-numbered year.
53	53	(c) The governor shall appoint a person to fill a vacancy on
54	54	the commission until the next general election.
55	55	SECTION 6. Section 81.01005, Natural Resources Code, is
56	56	amended to read as follows:
57	57	Sec. 81.01005. NAME AND SEAL. (a) The commissioners are
58	58	known collectively as the "Texas Energy Resources [Railroad]
59	59	Commission [of Texas]."
60	60	(b) The seal of the commission contains a star of five
61	61	points with the words "Texas Energy Resources [Railroad] Commission
62	62	[of Texas]" engraved on it.
63	63	SECTION 7. The heading to Section 81.0521, Natural
64	64	Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:
65	65	Sec. 81.0521. FEE FOR APPLICATION FOR EXCEPTION TO
66	66	[RAILROAD] COMMISSION RULE.
67	67	SECTION 8. Section 52.092(c), Election Code, is amended to
68	68	read as follows:
69	69	(c) Statewide offices of the state government shall be
70	70	listed in the following order:
71	71	(1) governor;
72	72	(2) lieutenant governor;
73	73	(3) attorney general;
74	74	(4) comptroller of public accounts;
75	75	(5) commissioner of the General Land Office;
76	76	(6) commissioner of agriculture;
77	77	(7) energy resources [railroad] commissioner;
78	78	(8) chief justice, supreme court;
79	79	(9) justice, supreme court;
80	80	(10) presiding judge, court of criminal appeals;
81	81	(11) judge, court of criminal appeals.
82	82	SECTION 9. On the effective date of this Act, the name of
83	83	the Railroad Commission of Texas is changed to the Texas Energy
84	84	Resources Commission. The change of the agency's name does not
85	85	affect:
86	86	(1) the agency's powers, duties, rights, or
87	87	obligations;
88	88	(2) the agency's personnel, equipment, data,
89	89	documents, facilities, contracts, items, other property,
90	90	appropriations, rules, or decisions;
91	91	(3) a proceeding of or involving the agency under the
92	92	name of the Railroad Commission of Texas; or
93	93	(4) the terms of the chairman or other members of the
94	94	governing body of the agency.
95	95	SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.