Bill Text: TX SB1293 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Engrossed


Bill Title: Relating to the amounts of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violations relating to certain pipelines.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-05-24 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1293 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB1293-Engrossed.html
 
 
  By: Hegar, Davis S.B. No. 1293
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the amounts of administrative, civil, and criminal
  penalties for violations relating to certain pipelines.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 81.0531, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The penalty may not exceed:
               (1)  $25,000 [$10,000] a day for each violation that is
  not related to pipeline safety; or
               (2)  $100,000 a day for each violation that is related
  to pipeline safety.
         (b-1)  Each day a violation continues may be considered a
  separate violation for purposes of penalty assessments.
         SECTION 2.  Section 117.051, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 117.051.  CIVIL PENALTY. A person who violates this
  chapter or a rule adopted by the commission under this chapter is
  subject to a civil penalty of not less than $50 or [nor] more than
  $100,000 [$25,000] for each act of violation and for each day of
  violation, provided that the maximum civil penalty that may be
  assessed for any related series of violations may not exceed $1
  million [$500,000].
         SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 117.053, Natural
  Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of
  not more than $1 million [$25,000], confinement in the Texas
  Department of Criminal Justice for a term of not more than five
  years, or both such fine and imprisonment.
         SECTION 4.  Subsection (b), Section 117.054, Natural
  Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of
  not more than $1 million [$25,000], confinement in the Texas
  Department of Criminal Justice for a term of not more than 15 years,
  or both such fine and imprisonment.
         SECTION 5.  Section 121.204, Utilities Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 121.204.  CIVIL PENALTY. Each day of each violation of
  a safety standard adopted under this subchapter is subject to a
  civil penalty of not more than $100,000 [$25,000], except that the
  maximum penalty that may be assessed for any related series of
  violations may not exceed $1 million [$500,000].  The penalty is
  payable to the state.
         SECTION 6.  Subsection (b), Section 121.206, Utilities Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The penalty for each violation may not exceed $100,000
  [$10,000].  Each day a violation continues may be considered a
  separate violation for the purpose of penalty assessment.
         SECTION 7.  Section 121.302, Utilities Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  A gas utility is subject to a civil penalty if the gas
  utility:
               (1)  violates this chapter;
               (2)  fails to perform a duty imposed by this chapter; or
               (3)  fails to comply with an order of the railroad
  commission if the order is not stayed or suspended by a court order.
         (a-1)  A penalty under this section is payable to the state
  and shall be not less than $1,000 [$100] and not more than $100,000
  [$1,000] for each violation or failure.
         SECTION 8.  Subsection (b), Section 121.304, Utilities Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The penalty for each violation or failure may not exceed
  $100,000 [$10,000] a day. Each day a violation continues may be
  considered a separate violation for purposes of penalty assessment.
         SECTION 9.  Subsection (b), Section 121.310, Utilities Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of
  not less than $50 and not more than $1 million [$1,000].  In
  addition to the fine, the offense may be punishable by confinement
  in jail for not less than 10 days nor more than six months.
         SECTION 10.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only
  to a violation committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  A violation committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect when the violation was committed, and
  the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
  purposes of this section, a violation was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the violation was
  committed before that date.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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