OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Eonorabla 8aaoom Ollaa 

Oammiaa1oner, @anoral Land oiiloo 

Allatin, Taua 

Daar sir: 

a. 84OVO and 84OT9, 

naral :wS Off100 

oaa of gaotlon 0, 

mu, 8a th0 Ast8 0r 

l 61 8wond oalld 

da .dapartaaat 

u u 0frnt WON 

l a na UUIA ip a e 

or was Lt naraaaary forth@ 

Land OfiS te taka mom 

a k o aaa l f?*o tlTe a nd if it 

0eauiaaionar to tak* 80~ l otlon 

baoam l ifeotlta, t&n whothar or 

oner h a 6 l nf diaaratioa ~to withhold 

o n l a a ur a no a Of o o 8p lia noc is tha ruture 

In erdar to l nawar yo ur queatloa, 1 4 ia nao8880~ to traoa'tha portinant lagialatlon 00. tho utter 
566 

lion. Baa008 oIlam, Peea 2 

an4 det*rmlno tha intontlon of tho LagIalatum. Chptor 

19 of tho Aota of fha 66th k~lalatare, 6aoonb a&11& 

Soaaloo o? 1919, pago 61, Saotlon 0 has the mama pmrIaIon8 

as Artlola 6669 of tha RevISe4 Cltll Statutes of lo-, 

namaly, that tha laaaae under the sot shall In 6004 

faith bagln an ofiaot wall within 60 day8 aftar tha 0~~ 

platloa or a eomeroIa1 u0l.l on adjoining propart *Ithin 

1,000 fast 0r tho land laaaaU. 

Saotloa I8 of raid sot prorldoa as foUu8: 

*I? tb owner of a laaaa l hoald iail or 

m0w to uka tha pamant. 0r mu au8 & us l lthar 0n 

8$8&or~~lt 

hail 

on tb ptodaotIo.on within thirty dam 

UL 

bowma due or I? aaoh emaex or 

hIa l athorltird a 

?alae ratuz-8 or.?* cm 

nt shod knodn6l.y nka 

report oonoarnl~ prad8at “i oa, 

royalty. or drilling, or I? aooh owaer 8haaU ?aU 

or raftme to Urlll any ofraat wall or r*l.la 1s 

gad ralth as roWrod by ~thla hot mad the r&Las 

aa4ra~tIenaa6o@adb~thammUaiamra? 

the Oenual U orri0e. or if awh uaor or hla 

agent l h o 8.U r efuse th a propu a a th o r lty l o naa 

to the ruorda portaLring to tha oporatloaa OPdor 

this Aet, or It aaah ownor or his aathorSaod 

agent should hnwiagly rail or nrwa ta gin 

or tha knoral Land vrri0a ahall ror fo l st w,~anA 

the araa shall b l ~bjaatto luae l gaiotoaaother 

thui to auoh iortatt~ ownar aftar duo l 4 tutIa ~- 

aunts protided, aaoh forfalture 8s~ bo 8et aaS 

and tha laaae and all rI&ta thermmler raInatatad 

baroro the rights of anothar iutarvano uwa aatlaroot0 

% 

rcriaanee or ?utum aompllanoa with t&a 

provia us a? thhia Aot an6 the rulaa sad rogulatlona 

l r r fPor$to ,%a a l odoptea d r0r th a p urpo ou f a uoutin its prorlaIona.w 

Chptar (II of tha Laws or tk 56th La61818ttlr8, 

seati oalld 8eaaIan, paga 84@ la what Is oopLoal7 krmm 

as tha 8ollnq~lShawa~ *OS- ScotIon 4 thareo?, rhloh la 
Ronornblo Beeoom Gllaa, Pa@ 3 

Artlola 6610 of the RerIud Civil E)tatutea, 1066, prarldu 

as sollaws: 

"I? tha puaona aforoaald, who own or oonfro1 land laaludod In this Aat, shoal6 fall or 

n?aao to ba6Ia aaoh drllllng 0r orraot walls 

thanoa within the tin raqairud or rail or 

re??ma to drill aaoh wall or wells dIll6antl~ 

an4 in g00d faith or rail or rorumo to drill 

awh roll or walls to tha do 

tho puqoaa lataadd, or ?a I.! 

th naoaaaary for 

orrafuaotow 

the wauibeuaaary to tha aar~lopunt or aa7 

roll or ml& thuaaa within tha tIm raquIra6 

uraSlorrduaoto drlU8aohudl drill104 

tSiaroon,tharaupoatbarelInquIabwthan3a 

graatd *halI Ipso r-t0 tamSnate an4 the 

rl&a l eqmirod tl&orauMor shall llkewlaa tam- 

~~,udtkoilandgaa~l~a~hebho~ia 

shall ruart to 8a6 booon the proport of t& 

Stato*a Ouaral Rovonuo lhnd and whan the Opmdaaiewr or tk 6asaral Land am88 la aufrs0i024tx~ iaromal 0s th8 raota rhioh so to&k 

aaoh rZ@a, ho still latloraa on tha aappar aoatablag fha papara ,-rating to tha sale o? tha 

lad uorda indi*at* l uah tanU.natIon and alga 

it oii$oIal+~ __ 

taotSaa whm0r la t&o 8amm as Irtlalo SST8 

of themiud Cl~iL~t~taa or l@SS, ml aabatantlally 

th a ma ml a a.seotSamlZ .0r ahaptor 10 l bou. Tha~rellaw- 

*.]ranao inudti*.le iq lot ln seotioa 0 o? ahapt8r 

al'nor la Artio‘l~~6avtl 

-area to .Mll an7 ofraat ~01% or 

wella In 6Oo6 faith 88 ro uiP.6 by this hot 

an4 tb hales ma6 rewat 4 OIU adopta by tb 

aamlamloaer .0r tam Oanaral &nd arri08.* 

xt~3.u tia notad thatsntutian a orchapter 

19 being tb aoat&n~4aalia&wIth offset nalla,,ao paaalty 

at rorroitrm la prowldod for, but Motion E daala rith 

mf8it~ 0s uarl kin4 ,and ohuaotu an4 inoludor roe 

raitua far railtm to drill orraot wells, but tYhapt*~m 

61. S*atIoa 4, ~881~ with orraot walls prorldaa for aa 
Rcnorable Beaoom oilsa. Page 4 

Ipso faoto termIn&Ioa or laaaea l xeouted under that 

Aot and naturally Saotioa 9 thereo?, dealIug with 

rorraituroa r0r rallurm to p0rr0rP oertain datIaa on 

thm part of the loaaea did not hare any provision with 

raapaot to offret rolls as that has beon takan oars o? 

In beotlon 4. 

In the nrIaIon of 198X!, the abova protIalona 

In the RolInquIahmant hot weme not ohgnged and ara ret 

out In the revIaloa as Artiolea 6S70 to 63VL 

Tha pro~laion 0r Chapter 19 whorain it d~ala 

with or?aOt walls was clot ohan6ad In the rarIaIon as 

shown by Artlola 6569, but amotion 12, daallng with rorfSItxire8 was ulttod and lstlola 6360 was Inserted in 

its stead, whloh prorldaa as followa: 

."Tha prorIaIona of aabdIrIalon 3 of thti 

ahopter ~owralng the f0rrOit- 0s rights 

thermander and a rainatatmant thurao?, shall 

l pp4 to loaaea un&ar this aobdIvIaIon. and 

a%SoHeltara of awh lasso, after d&o adwrtla-t, it shall k l abjaot to lease by 

another than aaoh rOI-?OitiIIg ownar.w 

Thg qnaatl.on tidlatoly arlua as to whothu 

or not Artlola 8360 rofar8 to both Artlola SW0 end 

Artlola 63% or ra?ara only to .ArtIola 6378. In making 

the mIalon, thr nr Lur 8 l vIdazNy orurlook8d th8 ?a& 

that Artisle USTt was nat ldantIa8l.wIth 8aatloa 18 o? 

Ohaptu le. In that it did .not haie a prorl88~ 

roapaat t0 raslusu ~tio dr2l.l orraet wlla. 

l bTiow thst the raaaon tootloa 1R was not oopld Into 

l ubdIrlaIoa 2 of ahaptn 4 or Tit18 66, R. C, 6. bat 

thm proviaiana 0s rorrattam la aabdIrIalon S 0s raid 

Chm 

P 

tu worm Saoorporatod bf nfsranoa was to eUmlnsta 

dap Iaatlona. It will ba noted that Art1018 5660 r0ru8 

to the ~r0vIaiona 0r l uMi+lalo~ a garernin4prorroiturm 

o? rlahta thorwndar and raInatatment tharao?W, and 

hat Artia1* m In bdITiaI 81 h &Sa* 

roittm 0r RItzhtaaanda&kl~ wl";: ror~alLa *Gil%- 

lnstateaant and that uld Artlole ;a the oalf one In 

aubdIrlaIon S whloh doala with ?or?mItura and reInstatennt In elm. Artiala 63TO protldoa ror-ipso root0 
lionorrrblo Bmoom OIlear Paqr 6 

temlnatlon o? a loam0 ander the Rallnqulahmmt AOt 

oa railaro 0r tha lasso0 to drill an 0rraOt roll whioh 

Is not l trIotlJ a rorfcitun. To road Artlolo 66To 

into l ubdIvIaIon 8 by ramoon o? tha &worlalooa of 

Art1010 6666 uould ba to mah a radio81 ahanga la the 

law as It ariatad kfolr t&a ravI8Ioa with cOopot to 

th0 rosa& 0s railer to arill an orraot w011 on laaua 

oorora4 by l abdIrIaIoa t, but to raad Art1010 SW2 Into 

8abdItIalon 8 would laara the Irr amhmgad by the rorl- 

*Ion. Of ooarn @tlala 66Yt duo not prorldo for a 

rosraitw8 for raih-0 to drill an orraet well but ooamidorlag Artlolaa 8669, 66dO and 6372 togather, It l aaa 

olaar that Mlala 6Slt was polnt~d to by Art1010 6660 as 

the proaadura to ba ?ollawmd ln rorfait$mg ldaaea for tha 

Tlol8tiOn of oblIgatIona Impoaod in SaMl~l81~ II and not 

for tha 4refmd.a o? r0mit\a thOrm%n llatod, and thenfoiv W proudm provldad la Art1818 6SOt shoal6 k 

follows6 with roeed to the ?or?olturw or tha loaaoa 

l b wt whlah p a hare ma 4 0 inq -. 

ti altloa to tb roaaoaa sat o ut l bwo, wa rind 19 the fad title 0s tha iuvi8Ioa or lses, l ?tu 

the ~TOr%S~M that ti OiTil laws llot inol0d.d th.lrin 

or whloh am aot l 

F 

saly aontIaaa4 ln r 0mï l x w ropoalad, uatloa *, l admd Vabllo and Othu Land*, whlah 

protldu as rouwar 

*Publla and Ot&r Lands - Thatal1lawa 

0rr00tiry tin laaaanoo 0r patoats. Was Tall6 

loo4 aortS?loataa;or fit* a t%8elhltin 

whloh to r&au la848 aold for tax088 or autherising nit0 to aontaat rarrtiitorr Or amlo 

ior -payaOa 0s iatenat 0a pauo 188b. or 

l rrOotiry th0 ninat8taant 0s ri*ta aftar auah rorZeftu2w; Q oaararrlng a prior right to gorohaaa land l unoyad br +lrtw of a prlvata d&t. 

for whlah a pataat oannat laaw; or l xtaadlng 

oil and gas permIta oa pub110 lands; or l xkndlne the tlma for poymut o? prlaolpal 6u oa 

l *rvatI&a r0r tha bOn0rlt or Oata l ottlera, 

a1y oontlauod la Zoroe. (thulsruorlng ouml 
liooorablo La404m Ollse, Fake 6 

Y@ thlrrk that thla aoctlon had the oiieot of 

ocatlathg la to-0 Ch8DtU 10 Of tha Aot8 or tha 36th 

Le&laturm, Seoorrd Call4 S18don, beloq tEa 18~ 08 it 

l x imto bd 0r 0m the rerimloo. At ala0 etmBgt&M our 

oonolu8lon tlaat Ikotlon It OS Chapter 19 ~68 omittad 

h 6h8 F WiSiOn l Bd & tiOh b %o iM WtU& iB it8 P lUO~, 

not for the DllrpoM of ahangln(c the peula1ty ror fallpn 

to drill 80 ofint well to tEat pr8oaribd ln Art1010 

%5TO of the RoUnqu%8huot Aat but rot the plITpO8. of 

l lfr ir util'4pOt1tiOB B& .i.4 the 8tOttlt88 by TOierOB4a t4 

Artiolm b3TR. 

It 18, thoroforo. the opinion of th18 dopartmat ttiot la ordor toetioot 8 forfoltura of tb 1888*8 

a dor l twldU8ti0a for rai0ru to brlll 80 oti8rt nil,’ 

88 mQUi?d by h#, th0 cti8SiOBOr Of tb 0Wr81 L8Bd 

OiriO8@$@ t&b&I 8Qgp 80*, MOBBtbIg t0 8 M-MtrjOr 

it8 8qUi+8lWlt, l uah l 8 l SdOr8ilU OIL th8 lOa808 th8 iOat 

thet thol h8re ken rorfoltd for f8llm-8 a0 &Ill 88 

0rr80t wU. f0 8m, 8184, Of the ODiBiOB th4t th8 COrri88iaE oi w (kMrd hnd QltiM h84.8M d184-- 

tloa in thi8 rqpti, OYM though Sootion lt of Ch8phr 

10, 8nd Artfe& mT% prori4* that tha coim18010Mr or tha 

CUOXW~ L8a ofriO -8h4ix fOrf8it 8~ Wh8a 8uii:OiOati~ 

hfO~%d Or tb f8SU Whit& 8UthOriM l rOI?f8itWOee StIOh 

8 &k4V18iOBl OrdhUir~ i8 MBd8tO~ htlt I&III tOlhl?Od, 

88 it i8, by 8 prOYf8iOU that t& COBd88iOBOr M7 wt 

88530 th0 fO~kittU8 Ukd XVI%BmJh tha 14880 b&Or0 th# 

d&t Of 8SOtbt titWVOa88 00. 88ti8r8aw7 l +id+rrO8 Of 

faton .-1i8W4 rith th8 A8t In thirrlt th0 8tatUti 80B8144l'46~ 48 8 Wh410.8bIfkr14.8 ih. -8d4Wr UQOB Utti- 

?88torf l Yi0OMO.Of tUtUI' aO@i6SW MfOm b tOTf8it8 

8 lOi t0 Withhpifx bk iOriOf&U~ 8Bd 6408 aOt TOqUirO 

him to Sorfeit tb ICOH 'W tlnn lm84Ql8tOl7 nlmt8t4 

it 011 8U4h 88tl8faOe l Y16aW8 Of fUtlU'8 Emli8#l8*. 

88 tm8t ht th18 OpiB%On 8Uii1018ntlt 8n8wW8 

you qlao8tloB8. 

A!?TORmT QzlrxRAL O? TRXM 

ATT0RKZ.Y GEiCXRAL OF TEXAS 

RY