On the 57th Day of the 2022 Legislative Session, the House concurred with the Senate to legislative action on 12 bills and refused to concur on one bill, while concurring to others with amendments. The House also adopted six naming resolutions and passed nine bills, completing eight of those.
Senate Bill 508 requires hunters wear blaze orange while hunting with a muzzleloader.
Senate Bill 535 authorizes the state superintendent to automatically suspend teaching certificates upon the charge or indictment for certain offices or filing of a petition alleging child abuse. The bill provides for the reinstatement of the suspended certificate if charges are dismissed.
Senate Bill 591 clarifies how legislative appointment selection should be handled in single county districts. Current law states that if more than one county is in a legislative district the candidate recommendations are submitted by the party executive committee. The law does not address districts that only encompass one county. The bill states that the county executive committee shall submit the recommendations for single county districts.
Senate Bill 694 expands the membership of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from five to seven members and expands the duties of the commission to include horizontal wells. The bill also allows surface owners to purchase the mineral rights of land with unknown owners.
The bill would allow 75 percent of net acreage mineral rights owners in an area to overrule 25 percent of mineral rights owners when it relates to horizontal drilling.
Debate on the bill was long. Opponents mentioned this bill reoccurred for the past several years. It was first introduced around 2015. Those opposed feel the bill removes the property rights of the owner. They stated the bill does not give an individual an option to opt-out of horizontal development. They called it forced pooling.
Proponents stated that in some cases a small number of individuals have prevented others from making a profit on horizontal drilling. It was also argued that having the bill be brought before the body each year has only made it a better workpiece. Proponents argue that this bill brings deep well development into the same standards as shallow well development.
During the amendment phase on second reading, several bills were amended, and some were advanced with the right to amend on third. Action on Senate Bill 550 and Senate Bill 486 was postponed one day.
Senate Bill 493, as amended requires county BOE meetings to be available online. However, if the steam is interrupted the meeting may continue, while the issue is being resolved. The recording does not have to be maintained on the website. However, minutes for each meeting must record members’ votes on all substantive matters and be posted on the BOE’s website within two days and be retained for at least one year.
The House recessed for 15 minutes before hearing remarks from members.
The House is adjourned until 9 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Committees – Today
The Judiciary Committee will meet at 7 p.m. in Room 410.
Committees – Tomorrow, March 10, 2022
The Rules Committee will meet at 8:45 a.m.
