Legislative Update: March 26, 2021

OEPA requested bills continue to move forward. Approximately 450 Senate bills and 400 House bills remain active, although the House did not hold any committee meetings for the second week in a row, which is unusual.

Legislative Chairman David Guest, along with Greg Piatt and Sydney Hill, met with Sen. Zack Taylor on Thursday, March 25th to review the progress of OEPA bills. On Monday, March 29th, President David Little and David Guest along with our lobbyist team have a meeting with the House Energy Chairman Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) and the House Energy Co-Chair Rep. Anthony Moore (R-­Clinton) to discuss the OEPA bills which have passed from the Senate to the House and are now assigned to committee.

On Thursday, March 25th the Senate’s Energy Committee passed nine House bills without debate and minimal questions. Included was HB 1072 by Rep. Tom Gann (R-Inola) and Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow), which extends the sunset date for the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board until July 1, 2024.

Discussions and dialogue continue with other associations regarding the bill to make changes to the SOER Committee and the bill requesting changes to the Production Revenue Standards Act. The session is at the halfway point to Sine Die in May.