Committee advances bill to relax technical degree requirement for Gas and Oil Conservation Commission seat

The committee voted to send Senate Bill 1146 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation after sponsor Senator Mark Harris described a change to member qualifications for the Gas and Oil Conservation Commission.

Senator Mark Harris said the commission is newly formed and the existing statutory requirement that one member hold a degree in geosciences or engineering with at least five years’ experience makes it difficult to identify qualified candidates. "This bill changes that last requirement to a member shall be knowledgeable in gas and oil matters and shall have eight years of experience in the oil and gas industry," Harris said. He said the change is intended to broaden the pool of eligible candidates for the five-member commission.

The committee recorded no opposing witnesses on the record and no substantive debate followed. Senator Cole moved to send Senate Bill 1146 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; Senator Guthrie seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

The bill as described changes the statutory qualification language for one commission seat; the committee did not take amendments in this hearing and forwarded the bill to the floor.