78R5676 MI-F

By:  West                                                         H.B. No. 1194



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to pipeline safety fees.                                             
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 117, Natural Resources 
Code, is amended by adding Section 117.016 to read as follows:
	Sec. 117.016.  PIPELINE SAFETY FEES.  (a)  The commission by 
rule shall adopt reasonable fees to be assessed annually against 
operators of pipelines and pipeline facilities subject to this 
chapter.
	(b)  The commission by rule shall establish the method by 
which the fees will be calculated and assessed.  In adopting a fee 
structure, the commission may consider any factors necessary to 
provide for the equitable allocation among operators of the costs 
of administering the commission's pipeline safety program under 
this chapter.
	(c)  The total amount of fees estimated to be collected under 
rules adopted by the commission under this section may not exceed 
the amount estimated by the commission to be necessary to recover 
the costs of administering the commission's pipeline safety program 
under this chapter, excluding costs that are fully funded by 
federal sources.
	(d)  A fee collected under this section shall be deposited to 
the credit of the general revenue fund to be used for the pipeline 
safety program.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 121, Utilities Code, is 
amended by adding Section 121.211 to read as follows:
	Sec. 121.211.  PIPELINE SAFETY FEES.  (a)  The railroad 
commission by rule shall adopt reasonable fees to be assessed 
annually against operators of pipelines and pipeline facilities 
subject to this chapter.
	(b)  The railroad commission by rule shall establish the 
method by which the fees will be calculated and assessed.  In 
adopting a fee structure, the railroad commission may consider any 
factors necessary to provide for the equitable allocation among 
operators of the costs of administering the railroad commission's 
pipeline safety program under this chapter.
	(c)  The total amount of fees estimated to be collected under 
rules adopted by the railroad commission under this section may not 
exceed the amount estimated by the railroad commission to be 
necessary to recover the costs of administering the railroad 
commission's pipeline safety program under this chapter, excluding 
costs that are fully funded by federal sources.
	(d)  A fee collected under this section shall be deposited to 
the credit of the general revenue fund to be used for the pipeline 
safety program.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.