Bill Text: PA HB604 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amending the act of December 15, 1955 (P.L.865, No.256), entitled "An act requiring rents and royalties from oil and gas leases of Commonwealth land to be placed in a special fund to be used for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood control; authorizing the Secretary of Forests and Waters to determine the need for and location of such projects and to acquire the necessary land," further providing for the Oil and Gas Lease Fund; providing for reallocation of moneys in fund; and making editorial changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 32-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-10 - Referred to ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY [HB604 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB604-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 588
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 604 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, BAKER, BARRAR, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, CAUSER, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, ELLIS, EVERETT, FLECK, GEIST, GINGRICH, GROVE, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HESS, MAJOR, METCALFE, MILLER, MURT, OBERLANDER, PEIFER, PYLE, RAPP, SCAVELLO, SONNEY, STERN, STEVENSON, TALLMAN AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 10, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 15, 1955 (P.L.865, No.256),
entitled "An act requiring rents and royalties from oil and
gas leases of Commonwealth land to be placed in a special
fund to be used for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood
control; authorizing the Secretary of Forests and Waters to
determine the need for and location of such projects and to
acquire the necessary land," further providing for the Oil
and Gas Lease Fund; providing for reallocation of moneys in
fund; and making editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title and sections 1, 2 and 3 of the act of
December 15, 1955 (P.L.865, No.256), entitled "An act requiring
rents and royalties from oil and gas leases of Commonwealth land
to be placed in a special fund to be used for conservation,
recreation, dams, and flood control; authorizing the Secretary
of Forests and Waters to determine the need for and location of
such projects and to acquire the necessary land," are amended to
read:
AN ACT
Requiring rents and royalties from oil and gas leases of
Commonwealth land to be placed in a special fund to be used
for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood control;
authorizing the Secretary of [Forests and Waters]
Conservation and Natural Resources to determine the need for
and location of such projects and to acquire the necessary
land.
[Section 1.]
Section 1. Oil and Gas Lease Fund.
(a) Establishment.--All rents and royalties from oil and gas
leases of any land owned by the Commonwealth, except rents and
royalties received from game and fish lands and from lands owned
by independent agencies, shall be placed in a special fund to be
known as the "Oil and Gas Lease Fund" which fund shall be
exclusively used for conservation, recreation, dams, or flood
control [or to match], for matching any Federal grants which may
be made for any of the aforementioned purposes or for the
purposes authorized under section 4.
(b) Funds for independent agencies.--All rents and royalties
from oil and gas leases of any land owned by an independent
agency shall be placed in a special fund which shall be
exclusively used for any purpose authorized by law for such
independent agency and the moneys of such fund are hereby
appropriated to such independent agency for such purpose.
[Section 2.]
Section 2. Duties of Secretary of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
It shall be within the discretion of the Secretary of
[Forests and Waters] Conservation and Natural Resources to
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determine the need for and the location of any project
authorized by this act. The Secretary of [Forests and Waters]
Conservation and Natural Resources shall have the power to
acquire in the name of the Commonwealth by purchase,
condemnation or otherwise such lands as may be needed.
[Section 3. All]
Section 3. Use of fund.
Except as otherwise provided under section 4, the moneys from
time to time paid into the "Oil and Gas Lease Fund" are
specifically appropriated to the Department of [Forests and
Waters] Conservation and Natural Resources to carry out the
purposes of this act.
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 4. Reallocation of moneys in fund.
The Governor shall determine whether moneys paid into the
"Oil and Gas Lease Fund" are from lands used or occupied by an
agency under the jurisdiction of the Governor, other than the
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and such
moneys shall be used by such agency to carry out the purposes of
any law that provides for the powers and duties of or any
program administered by such agency and such moneys are hereby
appropriated to such agency.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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