Monitoring the Session

HB 4021

bill letting the Railroad Commission declare oil or gas emergencies

Companion SB 1759 became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Paul DysonRHouse 14

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the declaration of an oil or gas emergency by the Railroad Commission of Texas and the liability of a person for assistance, advice, or resources provided in relation to an oil or gas emergency.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

30 days at a time, extendable in 60-day blocks.

The bill lets the Railroad Commission's executive director declare an oil or gas emergency in writing, such as an uncontrolled release of oil, gas, or produced water from a well, for 30 days at a time, with the commission able to extend it in 60-day blocks. It touches oil and gas companies and anyone else who helps respond to such an emergency when a state, local, or federal agency asks them to. People who help in a declared emergency can no longer be sued for ordinary mistakes, though they can still be sued for gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct, starting September 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4021 · 2025-03-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Paul DysonRHouse 14

ITEM

relating to the declaration of an oil or gas emergency by the Railroad Commission of Texas and the liability of a person for assistance, advice, or resources provided in relation to an oil or gas emergency.

WHAT IT DOES

30 days at a time, extendable in 60-day blocks.

The bill lets the Railroad Commission's executive director declare an oil or gas emergency in writing, such as an uncontrolled release of oil, gas, or produced water from a well, for 30 days at a time, with the commission able to extend it in 60-day blocks. It touches oil and gas companies and anyone else who helps respond to such an emergency when a state, local, or federal agency asks them to. People who help in a declared emergency can no longer be sued for ordinary mistakes, though they can still be sued for gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Energy Resources
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Companion considered in lieu of CSSB 1759
  18. Laid on the table subject to call
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Paul Dyson

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$340KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$161KAssociated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$62K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$340,207.92

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$340,207.92

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$290,207.92
Total
$340,207.92
advertising $183,880.00digital $90,527.92polling $15,800.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010767, 101033320, 101069287, 101072136.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$160,800.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$160,800.00

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$115,800.00
Total
$160,800.00
canvassing $100,000.00polling $15,800.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 18, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069287, 101072136.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$62,419.26

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$62,419.26

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$62,419.26
Total
$62,419.26
mailers $43,779.93Other filed descriptions $7,339.33polling $5,800.00digital $5,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 19, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010767, 101069287, 101072136.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$340,207.92

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$290,207.92
Total
$340,207.92
advertising $183,880.00digital $90,527.92polling $15,800.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010767, 101033320, 101069287, 101072136.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$160,800.00

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$115,800.00
Total
$160,800.00
canvassing $100,000.00polling $15,800.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 18, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069287, 101072136.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$62,419.26

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$62,419.26
Total
$62,419.26
mailers $43,779.93Other filed descriptions $7,339.33polling $5,800.00digital $5,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 4, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 19, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010767, 101069287, 101072136.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses14
For
12
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • City of Houston1 registration
  • Fasken Oil and Ranch1 registration
  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
  • Milestone Environmental Services1 registration
  • Panhandle Producers & Royalty Owners Association1 registration
  • Permian Basin Petroleum Association1 registration
  • Texas Alliance of Energy Producers1 registration
  • Texas Independent Produced Water Association1 registration
  • Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO)1 registration
  • Texas Oil and Gas Association1 registration
  • Texas Pipeline Association1 registration
  • WaterBridge1 registration

On

  • Commission Shift Action1 registration
  • Railroad Commission of Texas1 registration
Sources

14 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 7, 2025

05/05/2025 H Laid on the table subject to call

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Energy Resources · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1759 by Birdwell (identical)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Oil & Gas

RAILROAD COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 359 words

89R8041 AMF-D

By: Dyson
H.B. No. 4021

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the declaration of an oil or gas emergency by the

Railroad Commission of Texas and the liability of a person for

assistance, advice, or resources provided in relation to an oil or

gas emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 91, Natural Resources Code, is amended

by adding Subchapter U to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER U. OIL OR GAS EMERGENCIES

Sec. 91.951. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "oil or gas

emergency" means an emergency related to the production, storage,

or transportation of oil or gas, including the uncontrolled release

of oil, gas, or water from an oil or gas well.

Sec. 91.952. EMERGENCY DECLARATION. (a) The commission by

proclamation may declare an oil or gas emergency if the commission

finds that an oil or gas emergency has occurred. A proclamation

issued under this section must include:

(1) a description of the nature of the oil or gas

emergency; and

(2) a designation of the area threatened by the oil or

gas emergency.

(b) An emergency proclamation issued under Subsection (a)

may not continue for more than 30 days unless renewed by the

commission.

Sec. 91.953. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. (a) Except in the case

of gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct, a

person is immune from civil liability for an act or omission that

occurs in giving assistance, advice, or resources, including the

use of the person's assets, employees, or contractors, with respect

to the management of an oil or gas emergency:

(1) that is declared by the commission under Section

91.952; and

(2) in which the assistance, advice, or resources are

provided at the request of an authorized representative of a state,

local, or federal agency.

(b) The immunities provided by this section are in addition

to any other immunity or limitations of liability provided by law.

SECTION 2. Subchapter U, Chapter 91, Natural Resources

Code, as added by this Act, does not apply to a cause of action that

accrued before the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.