SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 1 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SENATE FLOOR VERSION March 25, 2021 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 2296 By: Roberts (Dustin) of the House and Bullard of the Senate An Act relating to the Red River Boundary Commission; re-creating Commission; providing for membership of Commission; specifying members will serve wit hout compensation; authorizing members to designate a representative; specifying reimbursement methods; providing for selection of chairperson; requiring meeting; prescribing scope of Commission; requiring report; specifying deadline for report; providing for termination of Commission; providing certain exemption from Oklahoma Sunset Law; authorizing Governor to request commission from the State of Texas; providing for codification; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE O F OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6110 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads a s follows: A. A Red River Boundary Commission is he reby re-created. B. The Commission shall consist of the following persons: 1. The Governor or his or her designee; SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 2 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. The Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee; 3. The Attorney General or his or her designee; 4. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate or his or her designee; and 5. The Speaker of the House of Representatives or his or her designee. C. Members of the Commission shall serve without additional compensation, each of whom may from t ime to time serve by and through a person designated by the member in writing for that purpose. Legislative members shall receive reimbursement from the house in which they serve pursuant to the provisions of Section 456 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statut es. Other members of the Commission who are state employees shall receive reimbursement pursuant to the State Travel Reimbursement Act from the funds of their employing agency. D. Staffing for the Commission shall be provided by t he Legislative Service B ureau. SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6111 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: The chairperson of the Red River Boundary Comm ission shall be jointly appointed by the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the Commission members identified in Section 1 of this act no later than SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 3 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 thirty (30) days after the effective da te of this act. The first meeting of the Red River Boundary Commission, as re -created in Section 1 of this act, shall be held at the call of the chairperson but no later than December 31, 2021. SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of l aw to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6112 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. The Red River Boundary Commission shall confer and act in conjunction with the represe ntatives to be appointed on behalf of the State of Texas for the following purposes: 1. To evaluate the methods, surveys, historical maps and other information used to establish the boundary line between this state and the State of Texas in the Texoma Ar ea, as such area is defin ed in the Texoma Area Boundary Agreement; 2. To determine the location of the south bank of the Red River as the bank was located and marked by the United States Army Corps of Engineers before the beginning of construction of Lake Texoma, in accordance with subsection C of Article II of Section 6106 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes; 3. To redraw the boundary line between this state and the State of Texas on any real property for which the United States Army Corps of Engineers granted an easement, prio r to August 31, 2000, to at least two districts or authorities created under Section 59 of Article XVI of the Texas Constitution for the construction, SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 4 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 operation, and maintenance of a water pipeline and related facilities in the Tex oma Area in order to nega te any effects the boundary as it is currently drawn has on property interests associated with such easements in the Texoma Area, and to redraw the boundary on such real property so that there is no net loss of property between eit her state so as to ensure that the redrawn boundary does not increase the political power or influence of either state, in accordance with: a. the Lake Texoma preconstruction survey of the south bank of the Red River prepared by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, or b. other historical records or documentation of the United States Army Corps of Engineers identifying the location of the south bank of the Red River, if the survey described by subparagraph a of this paragraph is unavailable; 4. To hold hearings and conference s in this state and in the State of Texas as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act; and 5. To take other action, alone or in cooperation with the State of Texas or the United States, necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act. B. No later than January 15, 2022, the Commission shall report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the President Pro Tempore SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 5 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and appropriate committees of the Legislature the Commission's findings and recommendations concerning joint action by this state and the State of Texas regarding the amendment of the Texoma Area Boundary Agreement to incorporate the boundary between this state and the State of Texas in the Texoma Area as redrawn. No later than J uly 30, 2025, the Commission shall issue a final report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and appropriate committees of the Legislature. SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6113 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: The Red River Boundary Commission shall terminate up on the date mutually agreed upon by a majority of the members of the Commission pursuant to a formal motion for dissolution of the Commission after its business has concluded. The provisions of Section 3921 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall not a pply to the Red River Boundary Commission and the Commission may be dissolved only as provided by this section. SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6114 of Title 74, unless ther e is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2296 SFLR Page 6 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 The Governor of the State of Oklahoma is empowered and requested to forward a copy of this act to the Governor of the State of Texas and to request that the Governor or legislature of that state appoint representatives of th e State of Texas to confer and act in conjunction with the Commission for the purposes specified in this act, with the understanding that each state will pay all expenses of its respective representatives. SECTION 6. It being immediately n ecessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON ENER GY March 25, 2021 - DO PASS