This bill amends Section 2003 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which governs the administration of appropriations to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board under the Rural Economic Action Plan. The amendments expand the range of entities eligible to receive funding, now including irrigation districts and rural water districts, in addition to cities, towns, and unincorporated areas. The bill also broadens the scope of eligible water quality projects to include improvements and repairs to existing water infrastructure of rural water and irrigation districts, as well as various construction and repair projects related to water and sewer systems. Additionally, the bill updates statutory language and establishes a priority system for funding, giving preference to smaller municipalities with populations under 1,750 and those with weaker fiscal capacities. It specifies that no matching funds will be required from recipients and prohibits the Oklahoma Water Resources Board from retaining any funds for administrative purposes. The bill also mandates the establishment of separate accounts for fund distribution and outlines rules for application processing and funding priorities to ensure fair allocation of resources. An emergency clause is included, allowing the act to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 62-2003