H.B. No. 2521
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the allocation and use of payments received under oil
  and gas leases of land owned by the state for a county road.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 32.201, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.201.  PREFERENTIAL RIGHT TO LEASE CERTAIN LAND BY
  ADJOINING MINERAL OWNER; ALLOCATION AND USE OF PAYMENTS RECEIVED
  FROM LEASING OF LAND OWNED FOR COUNTY ROAD.
         SECTION 2.  Section 32.201, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended by adding Subsections (i) and (j) to read as follows:
         (i)  Subject to Subsection (j), any payment received from the
  leasing of oil and gas under lands owned by the state that were or
  may be acquired by a county to construct a county road shall be
  deposited to the credit of the county road oil and gas fund as
  provided by Section 32.2015.
         (j)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a lease of
  oil and gas under land described by Subsection (i) that is entered
  into on or after September 1, 2017, must require any payment under
  the lease to be made directly to the county treasurer, or officer
  performing the function of that office, in the county in which the
  land is located, as determined by the commissioner and described in
  the lease, for deposit to the credit of the county road and bridge
  fund of the county to be used for the purposes described by Section
  32.2015(d).  A lessee's obligation to make a payment under this
  subsection is satisfied by making that payment to the county
  described in the lease. This subsection does not create a cause of
  action for a county to pursue remedies under a lease described by
  this subsection, and a county is not considered to be a party to
  such a lease for the purpose of asserting a right granted by the
  lease or under this subsection.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter F, Chapter 32, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 32.2015 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.2015.  FUND. (a)  The county road oil and gas fund is
  a trust fund outside the state treasury to be held and administered
  by the comptroller as trustee for the payment, without
  appropriation, to counties of money received from the leasing of
  oil and gas under lands owned by the state that were or may be
  acquired by a county to construct a county road.
         (b)  The land office shall deposit to the credit of the fund
  money received under Section 32.201(i) from the leasing of oil and
  gas under lands owned by the state that were or may be acquired by a
  county to construct a county road.
         (c)  Interest or other income from investment of the fund
  shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.
         (d)  Money in the fund received from the leasing of oil and
  gas under lands described by Subsection (b) located in a county,
  together with the interest or other income from investment of that
  money deposited to the credit of the fund, shall be disbursed at
  least twice each fiscal year, without appropriation, to the county
  treasurer or officer performing the function of that office.  The
  county treasurer or officer shall deposit amounts received under
  this subsection to the credit of the county road and bridge fund of
  the county. Money deposited to the credit of that fund under this
  subsection may be used by the county only for road maintenance
  purposes.
         SECTION 4.  Section 52.025, Natural Resources Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2521 was passed by the House on May 4,
  2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 2521 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2521 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor