Texas’ budget for the next two years signed into law Sunday by Gov. Greg Abbott includes $481 million for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry. HB 1 authorizing a budget of $321.3 billion was certified by comptroller Glenn Hegar before being signed by Abbott.
The commission’s budget includes new funding to enhance its work in public safety and environmental protection, including hiring up to 50 new pipeline safety inspectors (the number of regulated gathering lines has increased to about 45,000 miles), new staff in the oil and gas environmental permits and support unit, funding to enhance data collection for the electricity supply chain map, new cameras to increase inspection in Midland and San Antonio districts, and digitization of records for online access.