85R13433 JXC-D By: Canales H.B. No. 3403 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of a municipality to require that certain oil and gas operations be set back a certain distance from child-care facilities and schools. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 81.0523(a), Natural Resources Code, is amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (3) to read as follows: (1) "Child-care facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. (1-a) "Commercially reasonable" means a condition that would allow a reasonably prudent operator to fully, effectively, and economically exploit, develop, produce, process, and transport oil and gas, as determined based on the objective standard of a reasonably prudent operator and not on an individualized assessment of an actual operator's capacity to act. (3) "Private school" means a private school, including a parochial school, that: (A) offers a course of instruction for students in one or more grades from kindergarten through grade 12; and (B) has more than 100 students enrolled and attending courses at a single location. SECTION 2. Section 81.0523(c), Natural Resources Code, is amended to read as follows: (c) The authority of a municipality or other political subdivision to regulate an oil and gas operation is expressly preempted, except that a municipality may enact, amend, or enforce an ordinance or other measure that is not otherwise preempted by state or federal law and: (1) that: (A) regulates only aboveground activity related to an oil and gas operation that occurs at or above the surface of the ground, including a regulation governing fire and emergency response, traffic, lights, or noise, or imposing notice or reasonable setback requirements; (B) [(2)] is commercially reasonable; and (C) [(3)] does not effectively prohibit an oil and gas operation conducted by a reasonably prudent operator; or (2) that regulates or prohibits the drilling of a new oil or gas well located within 1,500 feet of the property line of a child-care facility, private school, or primary or secondary public school [and [(4) is not otherwise preempted by state or federal law]. SECTION 3. 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, 2017.