By: Stickland H.B. No. 203
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to changing the name of the Railroad Commission of Texas to
  the Texas Oil and Gas Commission.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 81, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 81.  TEXAS OIL AND GAS [RAILROAD] COMMISSION [OF TEXAS]
         SECTION 2.  Section 81.001, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 81.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Oil and Gas
  [Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
               (2)  "Commissioner" means any member of the Texas Oil
  and Gas [Railroad] Commission [of Texas].
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 81.003 to read as follows:
         Sec. 81.003.  TEXAS OIL AND GAS COMMISSION.  (a)  The
  Railroad Commission of Texas is renamed the Texas Oil and Gas
  Commission.
         (b)  A reference in law to the Railroad Commission of Texas
  means the Texas Oil and Gas Commission.
         SECTION 4.  (a) Effective January 1, 2014:
               (1)  the name of the Railroad Commission of Texas is
  changed to the Texas Oil and Gas Commission, and all powers, duties,
  rights, and obligations of the Railroad Commission of Texas are the
  powers, duties, rights, and obligations of the Texas Oil and Gas
  Commission;
               (2)  a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas is a
  member of the Texas Oil and Gas Commission; and
               (3)  any appropriation to the Railroad Commission of
  Texas is an appropriation to the Texas Oil and Gas Commission.
         (b)  Effective January 1, 2014, a reference in law to the
  Railroad Commission of Texas is a reference to the Texas Oil and Gas
  Commission.
         (c)  The Texas Oil and Gas Commission is the successor to the
  Railroad Commission of Texas in all respects.  All personnel,
  equipment, data, documents, facilities, contracts, items, other
  property, rules, decisions, and proceedings of or involving the
  Railroad Commission of Texas are unaffected by the change in the
  name of the agency.
         (d)  The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt a timetable
  for phasing in the change of the agency's name so as to minimize the
  fiscal impact of the name change. Until January 1, 2014, to allow
  for phasing in the change of the agency's name and in accordance
  with the timetable established as required by this section, the
  agency may perform any act authorized by law for the Railroad
  Commission of Texas as the Railroad Commission of Texas or as the
  Texas Oil and Gas Commission. Any act of the Railroad Commission of
  Texas acting as the Texas Oil and Gas Commission on or after the
  effective date of this Act and before January 1, 2014, is an act of
  the Railroad Commission of Texas.
 
         SECTION 5.  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, 2013.