By: Romero, Jr. (Senate Sponsor - Uresti) H.B. No. 1633
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2015;
  May 13, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
  Resources and Economic Development; May 20, 2015, reported
  favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 20, 2015,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to application and notification requirements for a permit
  to drill an oil or gas well in or near an easement held by the Texas
  Department of Transportation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 91, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 91.021 to read as follows:
         Sec. 91.021.  NOTICE OF  PERMIT TO DRILL WELL IN
  TRANSPORTATION EASEMENT. (a) In this section, "department" means
  the Texas Department of Transportation.
         (b)  The commission shall adopt rules to require that an
  application for a permit to drill an oil or gas well include an
  affirmation as to whether or not the well is located within an
  easement held by the department or within 50 yards of an easement
  held by the department.
         (c)  Not later than the 14th day after the date the
  commission receives an application for a permit to drill an oil or
  gas well that contains an affirmation that the well is located
  within an easement held by the department or within 50 yards of an
  easement held by the department, the commission shall transmit a
  copy of the application to the department.
         (d)  This section does not grant to the department any
  authority regarding the approval of an application for a permit to
  drill an oil or gas well.
         SECTION 2.  Section 91.021, Natural Resources Code, as added
  by this Act, applies only to a permit application filed with the
  Railroad Commission of Texas on or after the effective date of this
  Act. A permit application filed with the commission before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the
  application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for
  that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
  * * * * *