DRC LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2007

LOBBY DAY IN REVIEW:  Members Dean Hulse, Fargo; Audrey Cleary, Bismarck; Randolph Nodland, Dunn Center; Bob White, Emerado and Marie Hoff, Bismarck braved the winds and icy roads to join staff Mary Mitchell and Barb Price for a fun and interesting lobby day.  We attended hearings and watched the action on the floor of the Senate and had a chance to talk with some of our legislators.

ACTION ALERT: Please contact your Senators and ask them for a yes vote on HB 1511. This bill will require additional bonding for idle wells. We have worked very hard to get this bill this far and we need to pass it in the Senate. Your calls WILL make a difference.
Any legislator can be reached by calling the Legislative Message Center at 1-888-635-3447 (See the DRC web page for home phone numbers and e-mail addresses.)
                       
Ask them to vote yes because there are at least 100 abandoned wells that could be affected by this bill and a yes vote protects North Dakota taxpayers. Not supporting this bill supports the continued bad behavior of oil and gas companies.

ACTION IN THE PAST WEEK:

HB 1229: Was amended by the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The bill previously required that an operator notify a landowner of their intent to drill 20 days prior to applying for a drilling permit. This requirement has been removed. The law will stay the same as it is now with a requirement to notify the landowner only 20 days prior to the commencement of drilling. The amended bill passed the committee with a 7-0 do pass recommendation and is awaiting floor action.

HB 1511: Passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee with a 4-3 do pass recommendation. It was sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed with an 11-1 do pass vote. It will now be sent to the full Senate for the floor vote.

• HB 1506: Passed the Senate 38-8 and was returned to the House.  This bill sets a renewable energy goal for North Dakota of 10% by 2015.
• SB 2288:  A bill to create a Renewable Energy Council, was amended in the House Natural Resources Committee to reflect more of its original intent.  The amendments passed the House floor.  The bill now goes to House Appropriations.
• HB 1099:  Passed the Senate 44-0.  This bill would define two existing provisions in state law regarding proprietary information.  This bill comes on the heels of an attorney general’s opinion, requested by DRC, that determined that the NDSU research foundation’s records dealing with its contracts with Monsanto are public record.   The bill will now be signed into law.
• HB 1420: Representatives from township and counties were not impressed with amendments brought Thursday by Reps. Headland and Brandenburg, which they feel would weaken their ability to zone large, confined animal feeding operations. As originally worded, this bill would have prevented townships and counties from enacting any regulations pertaining to a confined animal feeding operation that relate to health or the environment, but it was amended in the House to clarify current law. DRC is following the lead of the political subdivisions regarding further action on the bill. The hearing was in the Senate Agriculture Committee.
• HCR 3061: Directs the legislative Council to study the financial and environmental impacts of confined animal feeding operations on property owners and communities and to recommend laws concerning siting and regulation.  DRC staff testified in support of this bill, and the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously recommended a “do pass.”

ACTION IN THE COMING WEEK:

• There are no hearings on our bills---all the bills we have been tracking have been heard in committee, and have either been passed or are awaiting action by the committee or the Senate or House.