Odessa Lawmaker Outlaws Fed Ban on Gas & Diesel for Local Governments

AUSTIN — Legislation sponsored by State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) to ensure gasoline and diesel powered engines can never be outlawed by local governments in the state of Texas was signed into law by Governor Abbott recently.

With the governor's signature, Senate Bill 1017, the companion legislation to House Bill 2374 filed by Landgraf, will go into effect on September 1, 2023.

"This is a win for consumer freedom and Texas energy," Landgraf said in a press release. "SB 1017 is about individual liberty, and when people are free to choose and the market is allowed to be competitive, Texas oil and natural gas always win. It's an honor to fight for the hard-working men and women of the Permian Basin, to fight for freedom and for energy independence."

According to reports, SB 1017 prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing any rule or ordinance that would limit access to gasoline, diesel, or any other fuel source, according to the release. The bill prohibits gas stations from being banned as any other related wholesaler, retailer, energy producer, or infrastructure necessary to provide access to a specific energy source. The legislation also ensures local governments cannot directly or indirectly prohibit or restrict the use, sale, or lease of an engine based on its fuel source.

"SB 1017 will be a bulwark against local politicians who want to undermine the individual liberties of Texans and the industry that makes the heart of Texas beat," Landgraf continued. "I will keep fighting for common sense legislation like this that makes Texas more free and protects oil and gas jobs. No big-city politicians are going to California our Texas on my watch."