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Senate committee backs water and wastewater investment program, adopts amendment striking appropriation
Summary
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bill 1346 to create a water and wastewater infrastructure investment program to be administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board; the committee adopted an amendment that removed a specific appropriation and discussed allocation language that currently splits funds roughly 50/50 between large municipalities and rural areas.
Senator Woods explained an amendment to Senate Bill 1346 that, in the recorded wording, "strikes appropriation." The bill directs the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to establish and administer a water and wastewater infrastructure investment program. During committee questions members pressed the author on how the bill allocates funds across the state and on program criteria.
The author described the current bill language as providing a split (described in committee as 50% for large municipalities and the remainder for rural areas) but said that OWRB had indicated that the population-based allocation language might be stricken as the bill is refined. "So it's a 50 50 split," the author said when summarizing the current draft, and added that final criteria would be set by OWRB rulemaking.
Committee members asked whether the allocation percentages were fixed in statute and whether the program would limit eligible projects; the author said OWRB would determine program criteria and that the percentage language is subject to further conversation. The committee adopted the amendment that removed the appropriation language and then approved the bill on a roll call vote of 22 ayes, 0 nays.
Sponsor and committee members framed the bill as intended to provide a cheaper state-backed loan fund alternative to bonding for local water projects and to give OWRB rulemaking authority to set program criteria. The bill, as passed out of committee, will go to the full Senate.
