Honorable Drew Darby, Chair, House Committee on Energy Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB891 by Raymond (Relating to creating an offense for certain unauthorized transactions involving oil, gas, or condensate.), As Introduced
The provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions are the subject of this analysis. The bill would amend the Natural Resources Code as it relates to transactions without permit, approval, or authorization. Under the provisions of the bill, recklessly engaging in certain activities involving oil, gas, or condensate, for which a permit, approval, or authorization is required and for which it has not been issued and for which a request is not pending, would be a criminal offense punishable by a second degree felony.
A second degree felony is punishable by confinement in prison for a term from 2 to 20 years and, in addition to confinement, an optional fine not to exceed $10,000.
Creating an offense is expected to result in increased demands on the correctional resources of counties or of the State due to a potential increase in the number of individuals placed under supervision in the community or sentenced to a term of confinement within state correctional institutions. However, this analysis assumes the provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions would not result in a significant impact on the demand for state correctional resources.