Rep. Rafael Anchia introduced HB 2891, a bill on Crimes and Utilities, to the Texas House on Friday, Feb. 14 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to the imposition of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violating certain statutes under the jurisdiction of, rules or orders adopted by, or licenses, permits, or certificates issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas; increasing criminal penalties’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill increases penalties for violations under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas. For each day of noncompliance that is not related to pipeline safety, the penalty can reach up to $25,000 per day, and for pipeline safety-related violations, up to $200,000 per day. The Railroad Commission must adopt guidelines to determine penalties, considering factors like previous violations, potential public health hazards, and any economic benefits gained from violations. The bill also mandates that penalties differ based on violation seriousness. Additionally, any offense may result in fines up to a maximum of $25,000 per day. These provisions will only apply to violations committed on or after the bill’s effective date, Sept. 1, 2025.
Rafael Anchia, the chair of the House Committee on S/C on Telecommunications & Broadband, proposed another 19 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Environmental Regulation and a member of the House Committee on State Affairs.
Anchia graduated from Tulane Law School with a JD.
Rafael Anchia is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 103rd House district. He replaced previous state representative Steven D. Wolens in 2005.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | HB 2854 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the required approval of certain hospital visits as a condition of release on parole or to mandatory supervision for certain releasees and to the hospital’s liability for damages resulting from those visits |
| 89(R) | HB 2837 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to state, local, and court involvement in determining whether victims and witnesses to an offense and certain detained, arrested, or incarcerated persons are lawfully present in the United States |
| 89(R) | HB 2836 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the minimum wage |
| 89(R) | HB 2835 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the basic allotment and guaranteed yield under the Foundation School Program, including an adjustment in those amounts to reflect inflation |
| 89(R) | HB 2769 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles to certain recipients; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 2727 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the creation of certain criminal offenses concerning firearm sales at gun shows |
| 89(R) | HB 2722 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the denial of certain applications for a permit or other authorization under the Texas Clean Air Act on the basis of certain adverse impacts |
| 89(R) | HB 2720 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the adoption of the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote |
| 89(R) | HB 2719 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the name and governance of the Railroad Commission of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 2717 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to equalizing compensation for certain wrongfully imprisoned persons |
| 89(R) | HB 2714 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the issuance and acceptance of a high school student identification card and certain other forms of identification as identification for voting |
| 89(R) | HB 2700 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the definition of holster for purposes of certain criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 2698 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the representation of certain indigent applicants for a writ of habeas corpus |
| 89(R) | HB 2697 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to certain procedures in connection with a bond forfeiture |
| 89(R) | HB 2695 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the use of a social media platform in furtherance of an offense involving the delivery of a controlled substance; increasing criminal penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 2619 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to electronic voter registration |
| 89(R) | HB 2618 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by certain entities |
| 89(R) | HB 2617 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the procedures for the expunction of arrest records and files for persons who complete certain court programs or pretrial intervention programs |
| 89(R) | HB 1795 | 01/09/2025 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct constituting the offense of dog fighting or the offense of cockfighting |
| 88(R) | HB 4784 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the provision of electricity service in the ERCOT power region |
| 88(R) | HB 4785 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the denial of certain applications for a permit or other authorization under the Texas Clean Air Act on the basis of adverse environmental justice impacts |
| 88(R) | HB 4786 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the imposition of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violating certain statutes under the jurisdiction of, rules or orders adopted by, or licenses, permits, or certificates issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas; increasing criminal penalties |
| 88(R) | HB 4787 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the acceptance of political contributions by a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas and of political contributions made in connection with the office of railroad commissioner |
| 88(R) | HB 4788 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the name and governance of the Railroad Commission of Texas |
| 88(R) | HB 4789 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the use of school buses and electricity by public schools |
| 88(R) | HB 4790 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the provision of natural gas by and rates charged by certain gas utilities |
| 88(R) | HB 4792 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to establishing the Texas Carbon Emissions Mitigation and Severe Weather Adaptation Commission to study and address the impacts of carbon emissions and severe weather in this state |
| 88(R) | HB 4793 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by certain entities |
| 88(R) | HB 4811 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Texas Energy Efficiency Council |
| 88(R) | HB 4984 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to reporting by operators of certain gas supply chain facilities and gas pipeline facilities on a failure to perform a contractual obligation due to a weather emergency |
| 88(R) | HB 5282 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Dallas Municipal Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments and fees |
| 88(R) | HB 4418 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the creation of a revolving loan program to fund the purchase by historically underutilized businesses of certain bonds required for public work contracts |
| 88(R) | HB 4433 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the authority of the board of directors of a tax increment financing reinvestment zone to use money in the tax increment fund established for the zone to compensate certain homeowners for the increase in taxes associated with the zone |
| 88(R) | HB 4653 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to participation in a deferred retirement option plan by members of the retirement systems for police and fire fighters in certain municipalities |
| 88(R) | HB 4658 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to procedures for establishing and recertifying a person’s eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program |
| 88(R) | HB 3983 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to changing the eligibility for release on parole or to mandatory supervision of a person convicted of certain violent offenses |
| 88(R) | HB 4066 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to the wearing of Native American tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at certain public school events |
| 88(R) | HB 3547 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to the required approval of certain hospital visits as a condition of release on parole or to mandatory supervision for certain releasees and to the hospital’s liability for damages resulting from those visits |
| 88(R) | HB 3548 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for assault of certain hospital personnel |
| 88(R) | HB 3549 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to creating the criminal offense of tampering with an electronic monitoring device and to certain consequences on conviction of that offense |
| 88(R) | HB 3657 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to notaries public; creating a criminal offense |
| 88(R) | HB 3248 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to contributions to, benefits under, and administration of Texas local fire fighters’ retirement systems |
| 88(R) | HB 2793 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the interconnection and integration of distributed energy resources |
| 88(R) | HB 2823 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to state contracts with and investments in certain companies doing business in the Russian Federation |
| 88(R) | HB 2564 | 02/21/2023 | Relating to the investigation of certain motor vehicle accidents |
| 88(R) | HB 2449 | 02/17/2023 | Relating to the creation of the Dallas Municipal Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments and fees |
| 88(R) | HB 2348 | 02/15/2023 | Relating to the installation by the Texas Department of Transportation of highway signs for certain cultural attractions |
| 88(R) | HB 2275 | 02/14/2023 | Relating to the unlawful carrying, acquisition, purchase, and transfer of certain weapons; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 88(R) | HB 2276 | 02/14/2023 | Relating to the creation of certain criminal offenses concerning firearm sales at gun shows |
| 88(R) | HB 2277 | 02/14/2023 | Relating to certain criminal offenses concerning the unlawful transfer or purchase of certain weapons; increasing a criminal penalty |
