By: Schwertner, Zaffirini  S.B. No. 1872
         (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2023; March 20, 2023, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  May 1, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 1; May 1, 2023,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1872 By:  Schwertner
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to certain contracts for the sale, transportation, or
  gathering of natural gas.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 81.060, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
         (c)  A confidentiality provision may not be required in a
  contract between the owner or operator of a pipeline and a shipper
  for the sale, transportation, or gathering of natural gas that is
  entered into on or after September 1, 2023, unless the inclusion of
  the confidentiality provision is requested in writing by one of the
  parties to the contract before the execution of the contract.
         (d)  A confidentiality provision in a contract between the
  owner or operator of a pipeline and a shipper for the sale,
  transportation, or gathering of natural gas that was entered into
  before September 1, 2023, becomes unenforceable on the date the
  term of the contract expires, unless the continuation of the
  confidentiality provision is requested in writing by one of the
  parties to the contract before the date the term of the contract
  expires.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 86, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 86.045 to read as follows:
         Sec. 86.045.  INVESTIGATION OF USE OF FORCE MAJEURE. (a)  
  During a weather emergency, a purchaser of natural gas that
  receives a notice from a person with which the purchaser contracted
  to receive natural gas that the person can no longer make natural
  gas available for delivery to the purchaser due to force majeure may
  report to the commission that:
               (1)  the purchaser received the notice; and
               (2)  the purchaser reasonably believes that the person
  sold the natural gas that would have otherwise been available for
  delivery to the purchaser to a different purchaser at a higher price
  than that provided in the original purchaser's contract.
         (b)  On receiving the report under Subsection (a), the
  commission may investigate to determine whether a person providing
  natural gas service has made a sale described by Subsection (a)(2)
  in a manner that violates state law.  If the commission determines
  that the person has made a sale described by Subsection (a)(2) in a
  manner that violates state law, the commission may notify the
  attorney general.  The attorney general may initiate a suit to
  recover any penalties authorized by law.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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