By Brimer H.B. No. 3162
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3162:
By Moffat C.S.H.B. No. 3162
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the payment of a fee by commercial users to the
1-3 Railroad Commission of Texas for the purchase of oil and gas data
1-4 maintained in digital formats.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Article 6447a-1, Revised Statutes, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Art. 6447a-1. DEFINITION. In Articles 6447b-6447k
1-9 [6447b-6447h], Revised Statutes, "commission" means the Railroad
1-10 Commission of Texas.
1-11 SECTION 2. Title 112, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
1-12 Article 6447k to read as follows:
1-13 (a) The commission may charge fees, which it determines
1-14 reasonably necessary to develop systems and to sustain access to
1-15 commission digital data bases, for purchases of oil and gas data by
1-16 commercial users. The commission shall adopt rules establishing
1-17 the rates and procedures for administering such fees. Such oil and
1-18 gas data will be available to non-commercial users at rates
1-19 established by the General Services Commission.
1-20 (b) For purposes of this article, "commercial user" means a
1-21 purchaser of computer tapes, computer printouts, information
1-22 accessed or copied electronically, and other forms of
1-23 computer-generated output, for the purpose of economic activity or
1-24 financial gain.
2-1 (c) A fee paid under this article shall be paid to the
2-2 commission, which shall deposit all fees to its account with the
2-3 comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas. The
2-4 commission is authorized to pay the cost of all administration,
2-5 operation, development, maintenance and enhancement of digital data
2-6 bases for digital dissemination from fees collected pursuant to
2-7 this chapter.
2-8 (d) The commission may adopt and enforce any appropriate
2-9 rules or orders that it finds necessary to administer this article.
2-10 (e) This article expires September 1, 2003.
2-11 SECTION 3. This act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-12 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16 days in each house be suspended, and the rule is hereby suspended.