By: Dean (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 3619          (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2025;   May 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural   Resources; May 22, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable   Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;   May 22, 2025, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3619 By:  Zaffirini     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the rights and liabilities of the owner of the surface   estate of the tract of land on which a well to be plugged or   replugged by the Railroad Commission of Texas is located.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 89.043, Natural Resources Code, is   amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:          (g)  If the commission plugs or replugs a well under this   section, the commission shall, unless the owner of the surface   estate of the tract of land declines to have the surface restored,   restore the surface of the tract of land on which the well is   located by contouring the surface to the topography that existed   before the plugging or replugging operations began in a manner   intended to promote the natural revegetation of the tract and in   accordance with applicable commission rules.          SECTION 2.  Section 89.044, Natural Resources Code, is   amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:          (c)  Except as necessary to prevent injury to the public   health, a person authorized to enter land under this section may   not take an action that would prevent the owner of the surface   estate of the land from accessing the land.          SECTION 3.  Section 89.045, Natural Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 89.045.  LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES.  (a) The commission and   its employees and agents, the operator, and the nonoperator are not   liable for any damages that may occur as a result of acts done or   omitted to be done by them or each of them in a good-faith effort to   carry out this chapter.          (b)  The owner of the surface estate of the tract of land on   which a well is located is immune from civil liability for any   damages that may occur as a result of acts done or omitted to be done   in carrying out this chapter by the commission, an employee or agent   of the commission, or any other person authorized under this   chapter to enter the land.          SECTION 4.  Section 89.043(g), Natural Resources Code, as   added by this Act, applies only to a well that is plugged or   replugged on or after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.     * * * * *