Sec. 121.310. CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits an offense if:
(1) the person is an owner, officer, director, agent, or employee of a person or corporation owning, operating, or controlling a pipeline of a gas utility; and
(2) the person wilfully violates this chapter or Chapter 122.
(b) An offense under this section that is not related to pipeline safety is punishable by a fine of not less than $50 and not more than $1,000. An offense under this section that is related to pipeline safety is punishable by a fine of not more than $2 million. In addition to the fine, the offense may be punishable by confinement in jail for not less than 10 days nor more than six months.
(c) In the prosecution of a defendant for multiple offenses under this section, all of the offenses related to pipeline safety are considered to be part of the same criminal episode, and as required by Section 3.03, Penal Code, the sentences of confinement shall run concurrently. Additionally, the cumulative total of fines imposed under this section for offenses related to pipeline safety may not exceed the maximum amount imposed on conviction of a single offense under this section.
Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 104 (S.B. 900), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2013.
Last modified: September 28, 2016