naturalgas.tobe used for a purposeother thau "pmup$u~watex?J for farm aud other egriculturalpurposea", then the reaeiptef&mthose saleswouid be subjectto the tax leviedby Article dOo60,. aud thesupplIer would be a "gas utility"within the purviewof Article6050 insofaras those sales are conaerned. L -
Eon. Ernest 0. Thompson,page 3 (s-140) : !
Itis furtherour opinionthat exemption,from the ~ovfsions of Article 6050,~whichis merely a definitionandblassification stat- ute, &es n&t w** reamve the gqplier of gae uud~~~Xbaj&+ 3i~frum the jurisdictionof the RailroadCosmiesionof Texas. :: ~:.
It shouldbe noted that Chapter31 is "cumulativeof other .~ lava and sha~nothave the effectof repealiugoramanding tire or statutorylaw" exqeptas specificallyprovidedtherein. ==fsZ?Z).
. Article kbil,B.C.S.,provideat .
"The operation-ofgas pipe linesfor buying,selling, ,.j transporting, producingorothervlsedealing innaturalgas , 'iea businesti which in its nature asd accordingto the establlahsdmat~ofoonduotingthsbuainaaa is amonoRoly .,. and shall notbe oonductedunless such gas pipe line so used in ccnneotionwithsuch businessbe subjectto the.jurisdlo- tion herein conferredupon the Covmission. The Attorney General shall enforcethis provisionby injunctionor.other; lkedy." ., '; '. The above articleis not restrictedin-itsoperationto "gas utilities",but affects"the operationof gas pipe lines for buying, se~ing,~port~,p~~ing,orothaRisedealinginnataralgae." . The operationscontemplatedby chapter31 undoubtedlyoonsti- tute a "dealinginnatural'gas"even thoughsuchoperatiousarenottkse of a "gas utility" (by virtueof the exemptioncontainedin Chapter 31).
Section 2 of ArtiCle6053; V.C.S.,grsnts the Commission"full power and authorityto prescribesuch rules and ragulationsas in its wisdcaumaybe deemed necessaryt0 carry out the purposee"of the Eatural Gas ht. As the protec.tion,~health,welfare and safetyofthepublio is an evidmitR&pose of the Act (Art. 6053),we concludethat the supplier- of naturalgas uhdar the provisionsof Chapter31 is within~thejurisdic- tion'ofthe RailroadCommissionto the extent that he-mustcomplywith all valid rules and regulationsof the C@ssion which are designedto promotethe pzoteotion,health,welfareand safetyof the public.
A supplierofnaturalgas;~~pureuant to the $rovisione of Chapter 31, ACk 53rd Le&ahture, latC.S, 1954, 16 . not a "gas utility"'withinthe povisionrjof Article@C,,~- V.C.Si,when the gas suppliedis used exclusivelyfor pump- ing water for agriculturalpurpcees.Rot being a "gas utility" under such circumstsmes, the supplieris not subjectto the ..
Eon. Ernest Thmpson, page 4 (S-140)
@ose.reoeiptsti leviedagain& gas utilitiesbj'Article 606C;B.ti.S.Such &plier'& within the jarisdiction of the Ririlro~'Camis&n, however,to the extent that he mustqomplywithallaafetyrolss andregulationsof that bo@. APPROVED: Yours very truly,
Phil&~~bins;n JOI&& i3Blmih Oil and Daa-~Division AttorneyGeneralof Texas
L P. Lbllar Revviewer -~ _~ RI@% S. Ttitti Mert Stkrnes FlrstAssistan~ " Assistant
JolmBsnSheR+rd &to~~y General
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