By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 568

(In the Senate - Filed January 20, 2017; February 8, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development; April 27, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 2, 2 present not voting; April 27, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 568 By: Rodríguez

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the posting by the Railroad Commission of Texas on its Internet website of certain enforcement information.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Natural Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 81.071 to read as follows:

Sec. 81.071. ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION. (a) The commission shall post on the commission's Internet website:

(1) comprehensive information regarding the commission's enforcement of this title and rules, orders, licenses, permits, and certificates issued under this title, including information regarding:

(A) inspection and enforcement activity;

(B) violations; and

(C) the amount of penalties finally assessed;

(2) information evidencing quarterly trends regarding enforcement activity by the commission, including:

(A) the number of inspections conducted;

(B) the number of violations, categorized according to the degree of severity of the violation and the statute, rule, order, license, permit, or certificate violated, for which enforcement action has been taken;

(C) the number of repeat violations determined to have been committed; and

(D) the number of violations referred to the attorney general for enforcement; and

(3) an analysis of annual trends regarding enforcement activity by the commission.

(b) Information required to be posted under this section must be:

(1) in a searchable format;

(2) organized by county, by operator or other entity, and by well, if applicable; and

(3) capable of being downloaded in bulk.

SECTION 2. The Railroad Commission of Texas shall comply with Section 81.071(b), Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2019.

SECTION 3. The Railroad Commission of Texas shall implement Section 81.071, Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act, using only money that is appropriated to the commission by the General Appropriations Act for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2017, for public information and services and that is available to be spent for the publication on the commission's Internet website of information about the commission's inspection and enforcement activities. If the commission determines that it is not required to implement that statute because the legislature has not appropriated money available for that purpose, the commission shall notify the Legislative Budget Board of that determination.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

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