Power Line Safety Bill Passes Texas Legislature
May 22, 2019
An amended bill calling for increased safety inspections of power lines has passed the Texas Legislature.…
Texas Legislature Passes Amended Eminent Domain Bill, But House Sends It to Conference
May 22, 2019
Update: Rep. Tom Craddick, who’s carrying Sen. Lois Kokhorst‘s eminent domain bill in the House, refused to concur with changes made by the Senate in the House-substitute version of the bill, so more changes are in store as the bill goes to a conference committee……
Senate Votes to Extend Chapter 312 Tax Abatement Program Popular for Renewables
May 22, 2019
A tax abatement bill that’s also known to be of benefit to renewable energy projects has passed the Texas Legislature….
Postcards from the Lege: What’s In a Name?
May 22, 2019
In the rush of the business day, haven’t most people accidentally called someone by the wrong name?
And on some of those occasions hasn’t it been awkward when the two names confused turned out to be people who looked alike, or both were recent hires or both similar in some way?
Or like, both were of the more outspoken conservative political persuasion?
Name confusion caused a particularly awkward moment on the floor of the Texas House on Wednesday, however, when Rep. Joe Moody, standing in for Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen during the naming of one bill’s conferees, called on state Rep. Briscoe Cain by saying, “Mr. Stickland for what purpose?”
Rep. Cain exclaimed, “Wow, that’s…pretty painful.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Cain, for what purpose?”
Rep. Cain bit his lower lip and looked at the House while laughter filled the room for a moment, then smiled and conjured more laughter by deadpanning, “Is there any way Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bonnen, Speaker Bonnen, is there any way to change the names of the conferees?”
For those who don’t get the humor, it’s a “looks” thing, though both are notably right of center.
Rep. Cain is not tall and is clean-shaven.
Rep. Stickland is tall and, well, resembles Rep. John Bucy III.
— Mike Shiloh
Governor Signs Bill Consolidating Port Advisory Committee Reports
May 21, 2019
Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill eliminating duplicated efforts by port committees….
Agency Partnership Bill to Head Off Grid Cyber Attacks Goes to Governor
May 21, 2019
Holding off possible cyber attacks through a proposed partnership among ERCOT, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and electricity providers, presented as Senate Bill 936, moved out of the Texas Legislature and is headed for the Governor’s desk….
Bill Modernizing Laws Over Port of Beaumont Passes Texas State Legislature
May 21, 2019
An extended bill to update the laws governing the Port of Beaumont has passed the Texas Legislature….
Allen’s Creek Reservoir Project Goes from Houston to Brazos Authority Under Bill That Goes to Governor
May 21, 2019
Using Brazos River water for residential and industrial development along Allen’s Creek in Austin County is the intent of a bill that’s ready for Governor Greg Abbott’s signature….
Legislature Passes Texas-Wide Water Resource Management Coordination Bill
May 20, 2019
A bill to set up a council for helping to coordinate water resource management and “best practices” across Texas has passed the state legislature….
Bill To Turn Quarries and Pits to Reservoirs Goes from Senate to House In Session’s Final Days
May 20, 2019
Three of Texas’ busiest regulatory agencies would be required to support a study of whether quarry and surface mine pits could be used for water storage facilities under a bill passed on Monday by the Senate….
Governor Signs Bill Eliminating Hearings In Non-Responsive PUC Code Violation Notices
May 20, 2019
A bill eliminating public hearings in cases where recipients of violation notices don’t respond to PUC notifications has passed into law with its signing by the Governor…..
Governor Signs Texas Electric Co-Op Battery Bill
May 20, 2019
Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law a bill intended to clarify whether electric co-ops can own or operate energy-storage batteries without having to register as “power generation companies.”…
O&G Well “Low-Producing” Tax Qualification Method Change Signed Into Law
May 20, 2019
Designations of which Texas natural gas or crude oil wells qualify for production tax credits that are given to low-producing wells and leases will be more consistent with the passing of a bill that’s now been signed by Governor Greg Abbott…..
Two of Rep. Anchia’s Natural Gas Pipeline Bills Pass the Texas Legislature
May 20, 2019
The Texas Legislature has passed two of several bills on natural gas pipeline reporting requirements….
Felony Bill for Deliberate Destruction of Critical Private Infrastructure Passes Texas Legislature
May 20, 2019
Damage to critical private property infrastructure such as electrical power generation, oil and natural gas production, water treatment and telecommunications facilities becomes a third degree felony under a bill that has now passed the Texas Legislature….
Texas Senate Advances Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill: TXOGA Statement
May 20, 2019
Today the Texas Senate passed HB 3557, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, moving this important legislation one step closer to becoming law. The bill, authored by State Representative Chris Paddie and sponsored in the Senate by Senator Brian Birdwell, strengthens protections of Texas’ critical infrastructure facilities from those who trespass with the intent to damage or impede operations, while maintaining current laws and statutes that allow for free speech and the right to protest…..
Texas Governor Signs Mineral Interest Pooling Act
May 19, 2019
Pooled tracts of land on which there has been no oil and gas drilling will now have a minimum of two years before the tracts can be dissolved under a bill that’s been signed by Governor Abbott….
CNG, LNG, LP Registration Instead of Licensing Okayed By Governor Abbott
May 4, 2019
Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill to “streamline existing Railroad Commission regulations of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LP) occupational licenses” has passed through the Texas Legislature with a final vote in the Senate 31-0 on Friday….
RRC Cleanup Fund to Be Cleaned Up Under New Law
May 19, 2019
A bill to “fix” the Railroad Commission‘s oil and gas cleanup fund and give the RRC faster access to needed cash has been signed by Governor Greg Abbott….
Governor Signs Bill Removing Land Office from Discount Electricity Program
May 19, 2019
A bill that essentially “gets the General Land Office out of the electricity business” was signed on Friday by the Governor of Texas….