Pennsylvania 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: In Committee 8 R cosponsors

HB 247 — An Act amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for well permits.

Last action — Removed from table

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

12 added · 14 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended bill clarifies that an operator can drill for oil and natural gas only on leases that are specifically permitted and do not violate lease terms. The previous version included broader language and also required that leases contain a voluntary pooling provision, which has now been removed. This simplification aims to streamline the drilling process while ensuring that property rights are respected. Overall, these changes are significant because they balance the interests of gas producers with the rights of landowners, potentially making the process clearer and more efficient for all parties involved.

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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
PRINTER'S NO.
216 PRINTER'S NO.
216 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.
999 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.
247 2019 INTRODUCED BY OBERLANDER, FRITZ, JAMES, MILLARD, BERNSTINE, ZIMMERMAN, EVERETT, RYAN, O'NEAL, BENNINGHOFF, KAUFER, DUSH, HERSHEY AND PYLE, JANUARY 28, 2019 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JANUARY 28, 2019 AN ACT Amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for well permits.
247 2019 INTRODUCED BY OBERLANDER, FRITZ, JAMES, MILLARD, BERNSTINE, ZIMMERMAN, EVERETT, RYAN, O'NEAL, BENNINGHOFF, KAUFER, DUSH, HERSHEY, PYLE, TURZAI, WARNER, MASSER, STRUZZI, WEBSTER AND KORTZ, JANUARY 28, 2019 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 19, 2019 AN ACT Amending Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in development, further providing for well permits.
* * * (n) Cross unit drilling.--If an operator has the right to drill an oil and OR gas well on separate leases or units, the <-- operator may drill and produce a well that traverses, by horizontal drilling, more than one lease or unit, if the operator reasonably allocates production from the well among the leases or units RELATED TO EACH LESSOR'S ACREAGE IN THE UNIT and <-- the traversing well is not expressly prohibited by the terms of a lease.
* * * (n) Cross unit drilling.--If an operator has the right to drill an oil and gas well on separate leases or units, the operator may drill and produce a well that traverses, by horizontal drilling, more than one lease or unit, if the operator reasonably allocates production from the well among the leases or units and the traversing well is not expressly prohibited by the terms of a lease.
Nothing in this section shall authorize a producer AN <-- OPERATOR to drill or produce natural gas AN OIL OR GAS WELL that <-- is not subject to a valid lease and OR royalty agreement THAT <-- INCLUDES A VOLUNTARY POOLING PROVISION with a landowner LESSOR.
Nothing in this section shall authorize a producer to drill or produce natural gas that is not subject to a valid lease and royalty agreement with a landowner.
<-- Section 2.
Section 2.
20190HB0247PN0999 - 2 -
20190HB0247PN0216 - 2 -
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Amendments

2 amendments

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Action History

  1. Removed from table

  2. Laid on the table

  3. Removed from table

  4. Laid on the table

  5. Removed from table

  6. Laid on the table

  7. Removed from table

  8. Laid on the table

  9. Removed from table

  10. Laid on the table

  11. Removed from table

  12. Laid on the table

  13. Removed from table

  14. Laid on the table

  15. Removed from table

  16. Laid on the table

  17. Removed from table

  18. Laid on the table

  19. First consideration

  20. PN 0999 Reported as amended

  21. PN 0216 Referred to ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 20 co-sponsors · 232 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (20)

Not signed on (232)

232 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 232 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 247?
HB 247 is sponsored by R. Lee James (Republican), Jonathan Fritz (Republican), Millard, Aaron Bernstine (Republican), David H. Zimmerman (Republican), Everett, Ryan, Timothy J. O'Neal (Republican), Kerry A. Benninghoff (Republican), Dush, Hershey, Pyle, Turzai, Ryan Warner (Republican), Masser, James B. Struzzi (Republican), Kortz, Dowling, Wheeland, Aaron Kaufer, and Donna Oberlander.
What is the current status of HB 247?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 247?
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