LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 4, 2023

TO:
Honorable Morgan Meyer, Chair, House Committee on Ways & Means
 
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB591 by Capriglione (Relating to an exemption from the severance tax for gas produced from certain wells that is consumed on site and would otherwise have been lawfully vented or flared.), As Introduced

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unknown amount of produced natural gas that would be consumed on the well site as opposed to being lawfully vented or flared.  The bill would result in an indeterminate amount of revenue loss from the General Revenue Fund, Economic Stabilization Fund, and State Highway Fund.

The bill would amend Chapter 201 of the Tax Code (Gas Production Tax) to add Section 201.061 regarding a tax exemption for on-site use of natural gas that would be normally vented or flared from an oil well.

Gas produced from a qualifying well that is consumed on the well site and would otherwise have been lawfully vented or flared would not be subject to the tax imposed by this chapter.

In order to qualify for the exemption a well site must abide by certain application requirements and be certified by the Texas Railroad Commission and the Comptroller of Public Accounts.  The RRC indicates they would have administrative and IT costs related to reviewing the applications required under the bill and certifying that a well is a qualifying well.

There would be a loss of revenue from the General Revenue, Economic Stabilization, and State Highway Funds from the new exemption created under this bill.  The amount of produced natural gas that would be consumed on the well site as opposed to being lawfully vented or flared is unknown, therefore the amount of revenue loss cannot be determined at this time.  

The bill would take effect September 1, 2023.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 455 Railroad Commission
LBB Staff:
JMc, KK, SD