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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study of the economic cost of significant oil and gas |
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activity in rural areas of the state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter R to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER R. STUDY OF ECONOMIC COST OF SIGNIFICANT OIL |
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AND GAS ACTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS. |
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Sec. 403.601. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Rural county" means a county with a population of |
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less than 50,000. |
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(2) "Significant oil and gas activity" means oil and |
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gas operations, including development, production, and waste |
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disposal, associated with a recognized oil and gas play that in |
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total is producing more than 500,000 barrels of oil per day or two |
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billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. |
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(3) "Rural area" means an area located in a rural |
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county, or contiguous with a rural county, where significant oil |
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and gas activity is occurring. |
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Sec. 403.602. STUDY OF ECONOMIC COST OF SIGNIFICANT OIL AND |
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GAS ACTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS. (a) The comptroller, in conjunction |
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with the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Department of |
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Transportation, the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas |
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Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, |
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and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, shall conduct a |
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study on the economic cost of significant oil and gas activity in |
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rural areas of the state. |
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(b) In conducting the study, the comptroller shall: |
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(1) analyze the amount of local government and state |
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revenues generated by the activity; |
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(2) analyze the need for increased services or |
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infrastructure development related to the activity, including: |
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(i) state and county roads; |
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(ii) healthcare facilities and workforce; |
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(iii) housing; |
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(iv) police, fire, and emergency medical |
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services; and |
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(v) public and higher education. |
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(3) assess whether revenues generated by the activity |
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at the local level are adequate to address the needs analyzed in |
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subsection (b)(2); |
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(c) The comptroller shall submit a report on the study to |
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the legislature not later than December 1, 2016. The report must |
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include a summary of the information resulting from the study and |
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recommendations for changes in law or appropriations necessary to |
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address shortfalls in needed public services and infrastructure |
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development. |
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Sec. 403.603. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires |
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September 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |