Abbott: three new oil-theft laws will give Texas 'the full weight of the law' in the Permian Basin

Speaking in Midland, Governor Greg Abbott credited local lawmakers for passing three measures he said will crack down on rising oilfield theft in the Permian Basin. He listed the measures as House Bill 48, which he said "establishes an oil field theft prevention unit" in the Texas Department of Public Safety; Senate Bill 498, which establishes a theft-of-petroleum-products task force; and Senate Bill 1806, which he described as authorizing local law enforcement to confiscate petroleum products alleged to be stolen and creating an inspection program for oil and gas tankers.

"Bottom line, they're bringing the full weight of the law to crack down on oil theft in the Permian Basin," Abbott said, and later declared, "The crackdown on oil theft in Texas is now law." Abbott said the bills increase criminal penalties for theft of petroleum products.

Senator Sparks and Representative Landgraf and other officials onstage thanked law enforcement and local partners for helping craft the bills. Sparks noted law-enforcement and industry cooperation and said the measures provide tools for enforcement, including work with the Railroad Commission. Representative Landgraf said the measures were critical to the region.

The governor did not read the bill texts onstage, and the event remarks did not include implementation timelines, enforcement protocols or detailed statutory language. Local officials said the measures reflect a coordinated effort among legislators, law enforcement and industry to respond to thefts that have been "on the rise."