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Amend CSSB 655 (house committee printing) as follows:

(1) In SECTION 12 of the bill, following added Section 81.067(c)(21), Natural Resources Code (page 10, line 25), strike "and".

(2) In SECTION 12 of the bill, in added Section 81.067(c)(22), Natural Resources Code, between "81.071" and the underlined period (page 10, line 26), insert the following:

; and

(23) fees collected under Section 85.067

(3) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber the subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Subchapter C, Chapter 85, Natural Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 85.067 to read as follows:

Sec. 85.067. HEARINGS ON EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN GAS WELLS FROM COMMISSION WELL SPACING REQUIREMENTS. (a) This section applies only to a gas well located in a county that is located wholly or partly above a hydrocarbon-producing geological formation that underlies all or part of two counties:

(1) that are adjacent to one another; and

(2) each of which has a population of more than 1.8 million.

(b) The commission shall hold hearings on a quarterly basis in a county described by Subsection (a) on applications relating to wells described by that subsection for exceptions to a well spacing requirement provided by commission rule.

(c) The commission shall impose an annual fee on each operator of a gas well located in a county described by Subsection (a) in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of conducting the hearings described by Subsection (b). A fee collected under this subsection shall be deposited to the credit of the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.