Bill Text: TX HB2920 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the requirement of a public hearing on certain applications for a permit to drill an oil or gas well.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-08 - Left pending in committee [HB2920 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2920-Introduced.html
| By: Turner of Tarrant | H.B. No. 2920 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the requirement of a public hearing on certain | ||
| applications for a permit to drill an oil or gas well. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 91, Natural Resources | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 91.118 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 91.118. PUBLIC HEARING ON CERTAIN DRILLING PERMIT | ||
| APPLICATIONS. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Child-care facility" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. | ||
| (2) "Private school" means a private school, including | ||
| a parochial school, that: | ||
| (A) offers a course of instruction for students | ||
| in one or more grades from kindergarten through grade 12; and | ||
| (B) has more than 100 students enrolled and | ||
| attending courses at a single location. | ||
| (b) The commission by rule shall require an applicant for a | ||
| permit to drill a new oil or gas well to indicate on the application | ||
| whether the proposed well site is located within 1,500 feet of the | ||
| property line of a child-care facility, private school, or primary | ||
| or secondary public school. | ||
| (c) The commission may not grant an application for a permit | ||
| to drill a new oil or gas well if the proposed well site is located | ||
| within 1,500 feet of the property line of a child-care facility, | ||
| private school, or primary or secondary public school unless: | ||
| (1) the commission holds a public hearing in the | ||
| county in which the proposed well site is located to receive public | ||
| comments on whether granting the permit application is in the | ||
| public interest; and | ||
| (2) the commission considers the comments received | ||
| when determining whether to grant the application. | ||
| (d) This section does not affect the authority of a | ||
| political subdivision to enact, amend, or enforce an ordinance or | ||
| other measure related to the drilling of new oil or gas wells. | ||
| SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
| to a permit application submitted to the Railroad Commission of | ||
| Texas on or after the effective date of the rules adopted under | ||
| Section 91.118, Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act. A | ||
| permit application submitted before the effective date of the rules | ||
| adopted under Section 91.118, Natural Resources Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, is governed by the law in effect when the permit | ||
| application was submitted, and the former law is continued in | ||
| effect for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
