Amend CSSB 1584 (senate committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to ARTICLE 6 of the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of ARTICLE 6 of the bill accordingly:

SECTION 6.__.  The heading to Section 121.211, Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 121.211.  PIPELINE SAFETY AND REGULATORY FEES.

SECTION 6.__.  Sections 121.211(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (h), Utilities Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a)  The railroad commission by rule may adopt a [an inspection] fee to be assessed annually against operators of natural gas distribution pipelines and their pipeline facilities and natural gas master metered pipelines and their pipeline facilities subject to this title [chapter].

(b)  The railroad commission by rule shall establish the method by which the fee 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 and regulatory program under this title [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 and regulatory program under this title [chapter], excluding costs that are fully funded by federal sources.

(d)  The commission may assess each operator of a natural gas distribution system subject to this title [chapter] an annual [inspection] fee not to exceed one dollar for each service line reported by the system on the Distribution Annual Report, Form RSPA F7100.1-1, due on March 15 of each year.  The fee is due March 15 of each year.

(e)  The railroad commission may assess each operator of a natural gas master metered system subject to this title [chapter] an annual [inspection] fee not to exceed $100 for each master metered system. The fee is due June 30 of each year.

(h)  A fee collected under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund to be used for the pipeline safety and regulatory program.