ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 965	By:	Marlatt, Fields, Ivester, Brecheen, Allen, Boggs and Ellis of the Senate

			and

		Jackson, Lockhart, Renegar, Wright, Hickman, Cannaday, Sanders, McDaniel (Curtis), Perryman, Roberts (Dustin) and Smalley of the House

An Act relating to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board; amending 82 O.S. 2011, Section 1085.1, which relates to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board; deleting certain appointment and representation requirements; modifying appointments to the Board based on regional representation; providing for terms providing for immediate transition under certain circumstances; modifying certain qualifications; updating language; and providing an effective date.

SUBJECT:  Oklahoma Water Resources Board

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     82 O.S. 2011, Section 1085.1, is amended to read as follows:

Section 1085.1.  A.  There is hereby created the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, consisting of nine (9) members to be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The Board shall constitute a body corporate and politic and an instrumentality, agency and department of the State of Oklahoma, and exercise by the Board of the powers conferred by this act shall be deemed and shall be held to be an essential governmental function of the State of Oklahoma.  One member shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year; one member shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years; one member shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years; one member shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years; one member shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years; two members shall be appointed for a term of six (6) years; and two members shall be appointed for a term of seven (7) years.  Upon the expiration of said terms, their successors shall be appointed for terms of seven (7) years.  One member shall be appointed from each of the congressional districts of this state and the remaining members shall be appointed at large.  However, when congressional districts are redrawn then each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn districts.  Appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be from any redrawn districts which are not represented by a board member until such time as each of the modified congressional districts are represented by a board member.

B.  Beginning July 1, 2014, the membership of the Board shall transition from congressional district and at-large representation to regional representation as follows:

1.  The Congressional District 1 position expiring in 2014 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 7 of the state which shall consist of Tulsa County;

2.  The at-large member position expiring in 2014 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 4 of the state which shall consist of Carter, Cleveland, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc, Pottawatamie, Seminole and Stephens Counties;

3.  The Congressional District 2 position expiring in 2015 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 8 of the state which shall consist of Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Rogers, Sequoyah and Wagoner Counties;

4.  The at-large position expiring in 2016 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 9 of the state which shall consist of Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Choctaw, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pittsburg and Pushmataha Counties;

5.  The Congressional District 4 position expiring in 2017 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 2 of the state which shall consist of Alfalfa, Blaine, Canadian, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kingfisher, Major, Roger Mills, Woods and Woodward Counties;

6.  The Congressional District 5 position expiring in 2018 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 5 of the state which shall consist of Oklahoma County;

7.  The at-large position expiring in 2018 shall represent Region 3 of the state which shall consist of Beckham, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman and Washita Counties;

8.  The Congressional District 3 position expiring in 2019 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing in Region 1 of the state which shall consist of Beaver, Cimarron and Texas Counties; and

9.  The at-large member position expiring in 2020 shall thereafter be represented by a person residing Region 6 of the state which shall consist of Creek, Kay, Lincoln, Logan, Noble, Okfuskee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne and Washington Counties.

C.  All members appointed after the effective date of this act shall be appointed for terms of seven (7) years.

D.  If a member serving on the Board as of the effective date of this act resigns or is unable to complete the term of the member, the seat shall immediately transition to the applicable regional representation as provided for in subsection B of this section.

E.  Each member shall be a qualified elector of this state.  At all times the membership of the Board shall have represented on it at least one member well versed in each of the following major types of water use:  recreational, industrial, irrigational, municipal, rural residential, agricultural and, soil conservation work and oil and gas production.  Not more than two members may be selected representing any one of the major types of water use.  The Board shall meet at least once each month.  The members of the Board may be removed only for cause.  Whenever a vacancy shall occur, the Governor shall appoint a qualified person to fill the unexpired term of the vacant office.  Each Upon entering, each member of the Board upon entering upon his duties shall take and subscribe to the constitutional and statutory oath of office and file the same with the Secretary of State.

B. F.  The Board shall organize annually by electing a chairman chair, vice-chairman vice-chair, and secretary from the membership of the Board, who shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the Board.

SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2014.

Passed the Senate the 20th day of May, 2013.

	
	Presiding Officer of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the 24th day of May, 2013.

	
	Presiding Officer of the House
	of Representatives

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________ day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________ day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

	_________________________________
	Governor of the State of Oklahoma

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________ day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________