House Bill Sets Up Railroad Commission Fight

Members of the Texas Railroad Commission would be allowed to meet behind closed doors to discuss the details of disputed cases under a bill tentatively approved by the Texas House on Monday.

The Railroad Commission would also become the Oil and Gas Commission under the measure, SB 655, by state Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy. The name change seems to be the least controversial provision of the legislation, though, since the commission hasn’t regulated Texas railroads since the 1970s. Its main job is to regulate the oil and gas industry, hence the new moniker.

An amendment by state Rep. Phil ...

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