1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 HOUSE BILL 3182 By: Patzkowsky
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Emergency Drought Commission;
7 amending 27A O.S. 2021, Section 2251, as amended by
8 Section 1, Chapter 48, O.S.L. 2023 (27A O.S. Supp.
8 2023, Section 2251), and 27A O.S. 2021, Section 2252,
9 which relate to drought relief; changing the name
9 Emergency Drought Commission to Emergency Drought
10 Committee; providing that the Emergency Drought
10 Committee shall meet at the call of the Secretary of
11 the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and
11 Forestry; providing that expenditures from the
12 Emergency Drought Relief Fund shall require majority
12 approval; and declaring an emergency.
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15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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16 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 27A O.S. 2021, Section 2251, as
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17 amended by Section 1, Chapter 48, O.S.L. 2023 (27A O.S. Supp. 2023,
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18 Section 2251), is amended to read as follows:
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19 Section 2251. In the event of a formal declaration of emergency
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20 drought conditions by the Governor, the Emergency A. A Drought
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21 Commission Committee shall be formed consisting of the Executive
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22 Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Secretary of
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23 Agriculture Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry,
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24 the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, one
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 1 member who resides west of Interstate 35 (I-35), appointed by the
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2 Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and one member who
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3 resides east of Interstate 35 (I-35), appointed by the President Pro
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4 Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate.
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5 B. The Emergency Drought Committee shall meet at the call of
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6 the Secretary of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and
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7 Forestry when the Secretary declares that emergency drought
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8 conditions exist in the state.
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9 C. The Emergency Drought Commission Committee shall determine
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10 the expenditures to be made from the Emergency Drought Relief Fund
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11 created in Section 2250 of this title, subject to approval by the
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12 Governor a majority of the Committee and shall determine the
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13 appropriate agency to expend the funds.
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14 D. The Emergency Drought Commission Committee shall also serve
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15 as a drought advisory panel to the Governor and the various state
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16 agencies. The activities of the Emergency Drought Commission shall
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17 continue until it is determined by the Governor that a drought
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18 emergency no longer exists in the state.
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19 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 27A O.S. 2021, Section 2252, is
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20 amended to read as follows:
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21 Section 2252. The Emergency Drought Relief Fund shall be
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22 available for drought response activities within the state that may
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23 include but shall not be limited to:
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24 1. Pond cleanup and construction;
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 1 2. Water conservation methods in production agriculture;
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2 3. Providing of water for livestock;
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3 4. Rural fire suppression activities as directed by the
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4 Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry;
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5 5. Red cedar eradication;
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6 6. Soil conservation;
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7 7. Emergency infrastructure conservation and measures; and
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8 8. Any other drought response activities identified by the
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9 Emergency Drought Commission Committee.
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10 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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11 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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12 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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13 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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15 59-2-8990 JL 12/11/23
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 27A-2251
Floor (House): 27A-2251
Floor (Senate): 27A-2251
Engrossed: 27A-2251
Enrolled (final version): 27A-2251