Senate Bill No. 168, introduced by Senator Womack, aims to establish a five-year liberative prescription period for the collection of bonuses, rentals, royalties, shut-in payments, and other sums payable to the state as the lessor under mineral leases. The bill enacts new provisions in R.S. 30:136(A)(1)(d) and Civil Code Article 3501.2, which specify that the right to collect these payments will be subject to this five-year period from the due date of each payment, overriding the previous three-year prescription period outlined in Civil Code Article 3494(5).

The bill also clarifies that all payments related to mineral leases must be directed to the office of mineral resources and establishes the responsibilities of lessees and operators in maintaining relevant records for auditing purposes. The effective date for this legislation is set for August 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill reflects a change in the prescriptive period from ten years to five years, as proposed by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.