HOUSTON, Texas– The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 988 on April 1, 2025, to address organized fuel theft rings operating across the state. The bill, introduced by Senator Paul Bettencourt, received a strong bipartisan vote of 29-2.
Bettencourt proposed the legislation after discussions with the Dallas District Attorney’s Office, which has been tackling these organized criminal groups since 2021.
Senate Bill 988 had previously passed the Texas Legislature almost unanimously in 2023, but Governor Greg Abbott did not sign it into law following the 88th Regular Session.
According to law enforcement officials, these organized criminal groups target fuel dispensers’ “pulsers,” which control the gasoline flow at pumps. Once disabled, these devices allow criminals to steal large quantities of fuel without detection.
Bettencourt emphasized that the bill would equip law enforcement and prosecutors with the necessary tools to combat these crimes. He explained that a single tanker truck full of stolen fuel could be worth $35,000, with criminal groups then selling the gas on the grey market.
Senate Bill 988 reclassifies the impairment or destruction of a retail motor fuel pump or an electric vehicle charging station as a third-degree felony, regardless of the damage cost.
If approved and enacted, the bill will take effect on September 1, 2025.
