*The Legislature adjourned May 23, 2008

* Bill numbers in bold type were enacted by the legislature this year.

HOUSE BILLS

 

HB 2201          By Representative Richardson; changes the definition of a public construction contract in the Public Competitive Bidding Act. Deletes the provision for contracts exceeding $50,000.00 in amount and defines a public contract to be any contract awarded by any public agency for making public improvements, repairing or constructing any public building. Deletes language that exempts the direct purchase of materials from the definition of “public improvement”. Provides that all public construction contracts exceeding $25,000.00 shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder by open competitive bidding. The contractor must provide proof of insurance. Public construction contracts under $25,000.00 may be negotiated with a qualified contractor. Dormant.

 

HB 2206          By Representative Wright and Senator Aldridge; re-creates the Waterworks and Wastewater Works Advisory Council until July 1, 2012. Passed by the House and Senate. Signed by the Governor. Effective November 1, 2008. Karl Potochnik and Donald Spence represent rural water systems on the Council.

 

HB 2216          By Representative Murphey and Senator Anderson; amends the definition of a public construction contract to include janitorial and other cleaning services. Passed by the House. Not heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Dead.

 

HB 2238          By Representative Schwartz and Senator Johnson; relates to applications for stream water rights. Provides that other than to reflect a corporate name change, no amendment shall be made to the identity of an applicant without the express written consent of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate Energy Committee. Assigned to Conference Committee. Dead.

 

HB 2250         By Representative Cooksey and Senator Nichols; amends the Open Records Act to provide that public bodies that provide utility services to the public must provide the public access to their records, including records of the address, rate paid for services, charges, consumption rates, adjustments to the bill, reasons for adjustment, the name of the person that authorized the adjustment and payment for each customer. Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate. Signed by the Governor. Effective November 1, 2008.

 

HB 2536          By Representative McCullough; exempts municipalities from paying a fee to the County Clerk for filing of documents or for making copies of a document. Dormant.

 

HB 2548          By Representative Richardson; relates to applications for stream water use. Requires a separate application for each diversion point in a stream system. Dormant.

 

 HB 2553          By Representative Liebmann; appropriates monies from gross production taxes on oil to the Second Century Water Planning and Development Revolving Fund to be utilized for updating and implementing the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan and for financial assistance programs administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.  Dormant.

 

HB 2557         By Representative Liebmann and Senator Aldridge; clarifies that municipal officers or officials elected for the first time are required to attend eight (8) hours of training at an institute for municipal officials. Persons who fail to attend the required training within one year of election shall cease to hold office.  Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate. Signed by the Governor. Effective April 11, 2008.

 

HB 2670          By Representative Gilbert; effective November 1, 2008, all new construction or alterations to buildings or facilities that are made available to the general public shall provide and maintain in an operational condition an automatic door to at least one entrance to the building and handicapped accessible restrooms. Dormant.

 

HB 2702          By Representative Steele and Senator Laster; creates the Oklahoma Water Conservation Grant Program. Requires the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to solicit proposals and make grants for the establishment of pilot programs, which will implement water conservation projects or plans in communities in the state. Passed by the House. Not heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Dead.

 

HB 2733          By Representative Renegar; appropriates money to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to pay the construction cost for the public water supply at Sardis Reservoir.  Dormant.

 

HB 2775          By Representative DeWitt and Senator Justice; requires the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to establish a state water portal system that connects the web sites and information systems of all the state water agencies. Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Assigned to Conference Committee. Dead.

 

HB 2789          By Representative Jackson; requires the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to notify the Board of County Commissioners of intent to drill, or reenter any oil, gas, injection, disposal or service well. Assigned to House Rules Committee. Dormant.

 

HB 2916          By Representative Morrissette; water turned into any water course by any party may be reclaimed below and diverted there from by the party. Assigned to House Rules Committee. Dormant.

 

HB 2925          By Representative Trebilcock; prohibits any employing entity from performing credit checks or financial audit as a condition of employment. Dormant.

 

HB 2945          By Representative Pruett; authorizes the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to accept the surrender of any water right by the holder. Assigned to House Energy Sub-Committee. Dormant.

 

HB 2969         By Representative Hoskin and Senator Ballinger; provides that all state agencies and political subdivisions shall only purchase flags of the United States and State of Oklahoma that are manufactured in the United States. Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate. Signed by the Governor. Effective November 1, 2008.

 

HB 2992          By Representative BigHorse; Creates the Centennial State and Tribal Cooperative Watershed Management Task Force to continue until December 31, 2009. Dormant.

 

HB 3090          By Representative Dorman; relates to the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Assigned to House Rules Committee. Dormant.

 

HB 3135         By Representative Piatt and Senator Schulz; requires licensing of well drillers. Modifies the amount maintained in the Well Drillers and Pump Installers Remedial Action Indemnity Fund. Increases the amount of administrative penalties from $500.00 to $5,000.00 for violations of Board rules or construction or installation standards. Passed by the House. Passed by the Senate. Signed by the Governor. Effective June 4, 2008.

 

HB 3188          By Representative DeWitt; relates to funding for the Rural Economic Action Plan Water Projects Fund. Removes the limit on gross production taxes that may be dedicated to the Fund. Assigned to House Rules Committee. Dormant.

 

HB 3242          By Representative McNiel; relates to the Rural Economic Action Plan Water Projects Fund. Passed by the House. Not heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Dead.

 

HB 3297          By Representative Collins; requires certain communities to designate a floodplain administrator. Passed by the House Natural Resources Committee. Dormant.

 

SENATE BILLS

 

SB 1145          By Senator Anderson and Representative Jackson; amends the Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Act to extend the period of time that a excavator needs to notify an operator regarding a proposed excavation from not more than 10 days or less than 48 hours to not more than 30 days or less than 48 hours. Passed by the Senate Public Safety Committee. Dormant.

 

SB 1154          By Senator Laster: provides that the first five million dollars of surplus funds which accrue to the General Revenue Fund of the State of Oklahoma each year shall be transferred to the Statewide Water Development Revolving Fund to be used by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for implementation of the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. Dormant.

 

SB 1161          By Senator Coates; requires every public employer to register with and utilize a Status Verification System to verify the federal employment status of all new employees. If appropriate verification procedures are followed, the bill provides an exemption from certain hiring requirements and liability or suit. Dormant.

 

SB 1385          By Senator Laster; appropriates monies from gross production taxes on oil to the Second Century Water Planning and Development Revolving Fund to be utilized for updating and implementing the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan and for financial assistance programs administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Dormant.

 

 SB 1406          By Senator Bingman and Representative McNiel; authorizes municipalities with a population of less than 5,000 to employ a part-time city manager. Requires the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to develop and coordinate a financial assistance program for local government administrative functions for municipalities that qualify. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective November 1, 2008.

 

SB 1410          By Senator Paddack and Representative Hilliard; requires the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to conduct pilot projects designed to recharge various types of aquifers in the state. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective April 22, 2008.

 

SB 1454          By Senator Ivester; increases the penalty for failure to secure worker’s compensation insurance from not more than $75.00 per employee to $150.00 per employee. An employer shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000.00 per employee for a second or subsequent offense. The maximum civil penalty shall not exceed $25,000.00. Dormant.

 

SB 1502          By Senator Wyrick and Representative Watson; creates a Joint Legislative Advisory Committee on the Grand River Dam Authority for the purpose of studying the functions, activities, policies, procedures and expenditures GRDA. Dormant.

 

SB 1505          By Senator Rabon and Representative Thompson; relates to the prequalification of bidders. Provides that prequalification to bid or perform work on a public construction contract does not constitute a license or serve as a substitute for a license. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective May 20, 2008.

 

SB 1509          By Senator Gumm and Senator Bingman; relates to water and water rights. Dormant.

 

SB 1573          By Senator Constance Johnson; creates the Oklahoma Drinking Water Purification Systems Task Force to study drinking water purification systems and the potential benefits of replacing chlorine gas with on-site hypochlorite generation. Dormant.

 

SB 1627          By Senator Paddack and Representative Billy; directs the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to establish a marginal-quality water technical work group. Marginal-quality waters include brackish or saline contaminated water, which may be used or reused for many industrial purposes. Membership of the technical work group will consist of state environmental agencies, rural water and other stakeholder groups. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective May 13, 2008.

 

SB 1693          By Senator Lerblance and Representative Renegar; creates the Task Force on Taxation of Water Sales. The Task Force consists of six members of the Legislature. Passed by the Senate. Not heard in the House Natural Resources Committee. Dead.

 

SB 1695          By Senator Bass; encourages the Governor and Legislature to consider developing a conservation bond program to address funding for operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of dams, conservation system restoration and to establish an equipment revolving fund. Dormant.

 

SB 1696          By Senator Bass and Representative DeWitt; authorizes the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to establish and administer a Municipal Infrastructure Cost-Share Program to assist eligible communities and rural water districts in implementing conservation or best management practices on eligible lands. Establishes the Oklahoma Conservation Commission Municipal Cost-Share Revolving Fund. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective May 13, 2008.

 

SB 1718          By Senator Ivester; requires the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to regulate seismographic exploration associated with oil and gas exploration in the state and gives the Commission responsibility for protecting the interest and property of the citizens of Oklahoma. Dormant.

 

SB 1723          By Senator Gumm; provides that Oklahoma ground water laws apply to water that infiltrates, seeps, migrates, or otherwise moves from a sole source aquifer into an open mining pit. Dormant.

 

SB 1736          By Senator Schulz; provides that the treasurer of a public entity require that financial institutions deposit collateral securities or instruments to secure the uninsured deposits  of the public entity in each such institution. Dormant.

 

SB 1765          By Senator Myers and Representative Adkins; creates a task force to study the geologic storage of carbon dioxide. In Conference Committee.

 

SB 1808          By Senator Brogdon; relates to the authority to change municipal limits. Dormant.

 

SB 1810          By Senator Wyrick; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1813          By Senator Wyrick; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1814          By Senator Wyrick; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1815          By Senator Schulz; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1816          By Senator Barrington and Representative Armes; prohibits burning during periods of extreme fire danger. Authorizes the County Commissioners, with the documented concurrence of the majority of fire chiefs in the County, to adopt a resolution declaring an extreme fire danger. Establishes penalties for violation of the Act. Passed by the Senate. Passed by the House. Signed by the Governor. Effective June 3, 2008.

 

SB 1817          By Senator Justice; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1818          By Senator Justice; relates to the Oklahoma Agriculture Environmental Permitting Act. Dormant.

 

SB 1845          By Senator Burrage; relates to GRDA rates and charges for water, power and other services. Dormant.

 

SB 1866          By Senator Coffee and Representative Hickman; requires the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODC) to administer the Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) Fund. Prohibits ODC from charging a fee for administration of the REAP Program.  Conference Committee Report passed by the Senate.

 

SB 1933          By Senator Wilson; Provides for the levy of a tax on the sale of surface water and ground water to purchasers outside the state of Oklahoma. Dormant.

 

SB 2070          By Senator Sparks and Representative Collins; requires that all flags purchased by the state or political subdivisions shall be manufactured in the United States. Passed by the Senate. Not heard in the House. Dead.

 

SB 2115          By Senator Rabon; provides that the moratorium on out of state water sales shall be null and void upon completion of the update of the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. Dormant.

 

SB 2116          By Senator Rabon and Representative Adkins; authorizes certain state and political subdivisions to sell water without legislative approval. Passed by the Senate. Assigned to the House Energy Committee. Dead.

 

SB 2139          By Senator Leftwich; relates to the Prisoner Public Works Act. Dormant.