By Craddick                                           H.B. No. 1593
       74R5337 SMH-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to payment for the proceeds of oil or gas production.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Sections 91.402(d) and (f), Natural Resources
    1-5  Code, are amended to read as follows:
    1-6        (d)  In the alternative, the provisions of Subsection (c) of
    1-7  this section may be satisfied by a division order for oil payments
    1-8  in substantially the following form and content:
    1-9                            DIVISION ORDER
   1-10  TO:                    (Payor)      Property No.                  
   1-11  ______________________________      ______________________________
   1-12  ______________________________      ______________________________
   1-13  ______________________________      Effective                     
   1-14                                               (Date)
   1-15        The undersigned severally and not jointly certifies it is the
   1-16  legal owner of the interest set out below of all the oil and
   1-17  related liquid hydrocarbons produced from the property described
   1-18  below:
   1-19      OPERATOR:              
   1-20  Property name:                                        
   1-21  County:                   State:                      
   1-22  Legal Description:                                                
   1-23  ------------------------------------------------------------------
   1-24  OWNER NO.             TAX I.D./SOC. SEC. NO. PAYEE
    2-1  DIVISION OF INTEREST
    2-2  ------------------------------------------------------------------
    2-3  ------------------------------------------------------------------
    2-4        THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT AMEND ANY LEASE OR OPERATING
    2-5  AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE INTEREST OWNERS AND THE LESSEE OR OPERATOR OR
    2-6  ANY OTHER CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF OIL OR GAS.
    2-7        The following provisions apply to each interest owner
    2-8  ("owner") who executes this agreement:
    2-9        TERMS OF SALE:  The undersigned will be paid in accordance
   2-10  with the division of interests set out above.  The payor shall pay
   2-11  all parties at the price agreed to by the operator for oil to be
   2-12  sold pursuant to this division order.  Purchaser shall compute
   2-13  quantity and make corrections for gravity and temperature and make
   2-14  deductions for impurities.
   2-15        PAYMENT:  From the effective date, payment is to be made
   2-16  monthly by payor's check, based on this division of interest, for
   2-17  oil run during the preceding calendar month from the property
   2-18  listed above, less taxes required by law to be deducted and
   2-19  remitted by payor as purchaser.  Payments of less than $100 <$25>
   2-20  may be accrued before disbursement until the total amount equals
   2-21  $100 <$25> or more, or until 12 months' proceeds accumulate
   2-22  <December 31 of each year>, whichever occurs first.  Payee agrees
   2-23  to refund to payor any amounts attributable to an interest or part
   2-24  of an interest that payee does not own.
   2-25        INDEMNITY:  The owner agrees to indemnify and hold payor
   2-26  harmless from all liability resulting from payments made to the
   2-27  owner in accordance with such division of interest, including but
    3-1  not limited to attorney fees or judgments in connection with any
    3-2  suit that affects the owner's interest to which payor is made a
    3-3  party.
    3-4        DISPUTE; WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS:  If a suit is filed that
    3-5  affects the interest of the owner, written notice shall be given to
    3-6  payor by the owner together with a copy of the complaint or
    3-7  petition filed.
    3-8        In the event of a claim or dispute that affects title to the
    3-9  division of interest credited herein, payor is authorized to
   3-10  withhold payments accruing to such interest, without interest
   3-11  unless otherwise required by applicable statute, until the claim or
   3-12  dispute is settled.
   3-13        TERMINATION:  Termination of this agreement is effective on
   3-14  the first day of the month that begins after the 30th day after the
   3-15  date written notice of termination is received by either party.
   3-16        NOTICES:  The owner agrees to notify payor in writing of any
   3-17  change in the division of interest, including changes of interest
   3-18  contingent on payment of money or expiration of time.
   3-19        No change of interest is binding on payor until the recorded
   3-20  copy of the instrument of change or documents satisfactorily
   3-21  evidencing such change are furnished to payor at the time the
   3-22  change occurs.
   3-23        Any change of interest shall be made effective on the first
   3-24  day of the month following receipt of such notice by payor.
   3-25        Any correspondence regarding this agreement shall be
   3-26  furnished to the addresses listed unless otherwise advised by
   3-27  either party.
    4-1        In addition to the legal rights provided by the terms and
    4-2  provisions of this division order, an owner may have certain
    4-3  statutory rights under the laws of this state.
    4-4                    Signature of    Social Security/
    4-5     Witness       Interest Owner    Tax I.D. No.        Address
    4-6  _____________    ______________   ______________    ______________
    4-7  _____________    ______________   ______________    ______________
    4-8  _____________    ______________   ______________    ______________
    4-9        Failure to furnish your Social Security/Tax I.D. number will
   4-10  result in 20 percent withholding tax in accordance with federal
   4-11  law, and any tax withheld will not be refundable by payor.
   4-12        (f)  Payment <Payments> may be remitted to a payee <payees>
   4-13  annually for the aggregate of up to 12 months' accumulation of
   4-14  proceeds<,> if the payor owes the payee a total amount of $100
   4-15  <owed is $25>  or less for production from all oil or gas wells for
   4-16  which the payor must pay the payee.
   4-17        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   4-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   4-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   4-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   4-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   4-22  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   4-23  passage, and it is so enacted.