Last week, CSSB 655 relating to the abolition of the Railroad Commission of Texas, the creation of the Texas Oil and Gas Commission, and the transfer of the powers and duties of the railroad commission to the oil and gas commission, was laid out for consideration on the House floor and sent back to committee after a contentious debate upon which a point of order was called and sustained. CSSB 655 was taken up again yesterday in the House. After several hours of further debate, 25 total floor amendments were adopted and the Railroad Commission Sunset, as substituted and amended, passed to third reading.
The bill as passed to third reading in the House has some differences from the bill that passed out the Senate including: The House version retains the current commission makeup of three elected commissioners whereas the Senate adopts the recommendation from the Sunset Advisory Commission report of just one elected leader.