LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 20, 2005

TO:	Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2161 by West, George "Buddy" (Relating to the power of the Railroad Commission of Texas to adopt and enforce safety standards and practices applicable to the transportation by pipeline of certain substances and to certain pipeline facilities; imposing an administrative penalty. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would provide authority to the Railroad Commission to prescribe or adopt safety standards relating to the prevention of damage to pipeline facilities resulting from the movement of earth by a person in the vicinity of such pipeline facilities. That authority would not apply to surface mining operations or to operations the Railroad Commission would determine should be exempt until September 1, 2008. The regulations over earth movement could not take effect until September 1, 2007.

Although the Railroad Commission expects that this could increase agency inspections, investigations, and complaint workload, it is not expected to be significant to the agency's overall budget.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

455 Railroad Commission

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, ZS, TL