H.B. No. 2521

	AN ACT
	relating to the allocation and use of payments received under oil
	and gas leases of land owned by the state for a county road.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 32.201, Natural Resources
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 32.201.  PREFERENTIAL RIGHT TO LEASE CERTAIN LAND BY
	ADJOINING MINERAL OWNER; ALLOCATION AND USE OF PAYMENTS RECEIVED
	FROM LEASING OF LAND OWNED FOR COUNTY ROAD.
	SECTION 2.  Section 32.201, Natural Resources Code, is
	amended by adding Subsections (i) and (j) to read as follows:
	(i)  Subject to Subsection (j), any payment received from the
	leasing of oil and gas under lands owned by the state that were or
	may be acquired by a county to construct a county road shall be
	deposited to the credit of the county road oil and gas fund as
	provided by Section 32.2015.
	(j)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a lease of
	oil and gas under land described by Subsection (i) that is entered
	into on or after September 1, 2017, must require any payment under
	the lease to be made directly to the county treasurer, or officer
	performing the function of that office, in the county in which the
	land is located, as determined by the commissioner and described in
	the lease, for deposit to the credit of the county road and bridge
	fund of the county to be used for the purposes described by Section
	32.2015(d).  A lessee's obligation to make a payment under this
	subsection is satisfied by making that payment to the county
	described in the lease. This subsection does not create a cause of
	action for a county to pursue remedies under a lease described by
	this subsection, and a county is not considered to be a party to
	such a lease for the purpose of asserting a right granted by the
	lease or under this subsection.
	SECTION 3.  Subchapter F, Chapter 32, Natural Resources
	Code, is amended by adding Section 32.2015 to read as follows:
	Sec. 32.2015.  FUND. (a)  The county road oil and gas fund is
	a trust fund outside the state treasury to be held and administered
	by the comptroller as trustee for the payment, without
	appropriation, to counties of money received from the leasing of
	oil and gas under lands owned by the state that were or may be
	acquired by a county to construct a county road.
	(b)  The land office shall deposit to the credit of the fund
	money received under Section 32.201(i) from the leasing of oil and
	gas under lands owned by the state that were or may be acquired by a
	county to construct a county road.
	(c)  Interest or other income from investment of the fund
	shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.
	(d)  Money in the fund received from the leasing of oil and
	gas under lands described by Subsection (b) located in a county,
	together with the interest or other income from investment of that
	money deposited to the credit of the fund, shall be disbursed at
	least twice each fiscal year, without appropriation, to the county
	treasurer or officer performing the function of that office.  The
	county treasurer or officer shall deposit amounts received under
	this subsection to the credit of the county road and bridge fund of
	the county. Money deposited to the credit of that fund under this
	subsection may be used by the county only for road maintenance
	purposes.
	SECTION 4.  Section 52.025, Natural Resources Code, is
	repealed.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2521 was passed by the House on May 4,
	2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 2521 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0,
	2 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2521 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 24, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
	0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor