Staff Report with Final Results: Railroad Commission of Texas Page: A1
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Sunset Advisory Commission
FINAL RESULTS
house Bill 1818
Summary
In its third review of the Railroad Commission ofTexas since 2010, the Sunset Commission determined
that no major structural changes to the agency or a change to the agency's name were needed. The
commission instead focused on improvements to the agency's oil and gas enforcement program, finding
that the agency struggles to report reliable data about the program and does not use existing enforcement
tools or staff strategically. House Bill 1818 directs the Railroad Commission to develop a strategic plan
that tracks and measures the enforcement program, complementing a management recommendation
to conduct audits to better prevent operators with severed leases from producing oil and gas illegally.
House Bill 1818 contains additional recommendations by the Sunset Commission to provide needed
resources for pipeline safety, address damage prevention related to pipelines, and develop a policy to
encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution. The bill also continues the agency for 12 years.
The following material summarizes results of the Sunset review of the Railroad Commission, including
management actions directed to the agency that do not require legislative action.
ISSUE 1 - Continue
Recommendation 1.1,Adopted - Continue the Railroad Commission of Texas for 12 years; however,
the Sunset Commission recommends retaining the agency's name.
ISSUE 2 - Program Transfers
Recommendation 2.1, Not Adopted - Require use of the State Office of Administrative Hearings
for contested gas utility cases.
Recommendation 2.2, Not Adopted - Require the Railroad Commission to use the State Office of
Administrative Hearings for all other contested case hearings.
Recommendation 2.3, Not Adopted - Transfer gas utility regulation from the Railroad Commission
to the Public Utility Commission.
ISSUE 3 - Oil and Gas Monitoring and Enforcement
Recommendation 3.1, Adopted - Require the Railroad Commission to develop a strategic plan for
the Oil and Gas Division that tracks and measures the monitoring and enforcement program.
Recommendation 3.2, Not Adopted - Require the Railroad Commission to develop in rule a process
for issuing expedited penalties for minor violations.
Recommendation 3.3, Adopted - Direct the Railroad Commission to accurately track and report the
number of oil and gas violations annually. (Management action - nonstatutory)Railroad Commission of Texas Staff Report with Final Results
Final ResultsAl
June 2017
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Trost, Amy; Beverly, Eric; Long, Tim; Nash, Carissa; Wood, Janet & Walraven, Joe. Staff Report with Final Results: Railroad Commission of Texas, report, June 2017; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1033370/m1/9/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.