SB1352: OK's Plan to Boost Reservoir Funds and Impose Grower Fees

Failed bill: no new reservoir fund or fee for commercial water use in Oklahoma

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What did SB1352 want to accomplish?

SB1352 wanted to set up two special funds to help with building and maintaining reservoirs in Oklahoma.

Here’s how it works:

1. Reservoir Capital Investment Fund: This would be a new fund created to save money for building new reservoirs. The fund would have kept growing until it had $1.6 billion. Once it reached this amount, any extra money would go to another fund called the Water Sustainability Revolving Fund.
2. Water Sustainability Revolving Fund: This fund would be used for planning and building reservoirs and making sure they stay in good shape.
3. Fee for Water Use: A fee of $1.25 would be charged for every 1,000 gallons of water used by commercial medical marijuana growers. Most of this fee (84%) would have gone into the Reservoir Capital Investment Fund.
4. Money Distribution: The money from the fee would have been shared among the state, cities, counties, and emergency medical service districts in specific ways.

Who would have benefited from this law?

✔️Oklahoma Residents: Better reservoirs can provide more reliable water supplies and help manage water resources.

✔️Commercial Medical Marijuana Growers: They will have a clear fee structure and understand how their payments support reservoir projects.

✔️State and Local Governments: They will receive funds from the water fee to support their operations and emergency services.

What are some concerns people might have about this law?

Some of these may be the reason the bill failed to pass:

⚠️Increased Costs for Growers: Commercial medical marijuana growers will have to pay an additional fee, which could increase their operating costs.

⚠️Complex Fund Management: Managing and allocating funds between different purposes and recipients could be complicated and require careful oversight.

⚠️Long Time to Reach Full Funding: It may take a long time to accumulate $1.6 billion in the Reservoir Capital Investment Fund, potentially delaying some projects.

This bill was introduced on 2/21/24 by Senator David Bullard [R], Representative Justin Humphrey [R], and Senator Mary Boren [D].

Due to a lack of support, missed deadlines, committee action, leadership decisions or veto, this bill failed to pass and will not be signed into law.

➡️Is this something that you think Oklahomans need? How would it have benefited the county you live in?

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Hi, I'm Judy! I love talking about the area I live in and what affects us. Follow me if you'd like more stories like this.