OK
Oklahoma House Bill HB1817

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1817 Compare Versions

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3-ENGR. H. B. NO. 1817 Page 1 1
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28-ENGROSSED HOUSE
29-BILL NO. 1817 By: Worthen and Newton of the
29+HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
30+
31+STATE OF OKLAHOMA
32+
33+1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
34+
35+COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
36+FOR
37+HOUSE BILL NO. 1817 By: Worthen and Newton of the
3038 House
3139
3240 and
3341
3442 Pederson of the Senate
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47+COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
3948
40-[ waters and water rights – legislative findings –
41-Oklahoma Water Resources Board Well Driller and
42-Pump Installer Program – duties – requirements for
43-training program – Oklahoma Water Resources Board –
44-institute of higher education – criteria – rules –
45-Oklahoma Water Resources Board Well Driller and
46-Pump Installer Program Revolving Fund –
47-expenditures – noncodification – codification –
48-effective date ]
49+An Act relating to waters and water rights; stating
50+legislative findings; creating the Oklahoma Water
51+Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer
52+Program; providing duties for certain program;
53+providing requirements for certain training program;
54+stating duties of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board;
55+requiring Board partner and provide funding to
56+certain institute of higher education; providing
57+certain criteria to be met; authorizing the
58+promulgation of certain rules; creating the Oklahoma
59+Water Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer
60+Program Revolving Fund; stating type of fund; stating
61+purpose of fund; authorizing expenditures; providing
62+for noncodification; providing for codification; and
63+providing an effective date.
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5369 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
5470 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
5571 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
56-The Legislature finds that Oklahoma's groundwater resources face
57-critical threats from depletion and contamination due to unqualified
58-workers and improper water access practices. There is a nationwide
59-geoscience workforce shortage projected by the United States
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99+The Legislature finds that Oklahoma's groundwater resources face
100+critical threats from deple tion and contamination due to unqualified
101+workers and improper water access practices. There is a nationwide
102+geoscience workforce shortage projected by the United States
86103 Department of Labor to peak at 130,000 workers by 2029, leaving
87104 Oklahoma's groundwate r industry struggling to fill positions with
88105 adequately trained professionals. The growing reliance on untrained
89106 workers in the groundwater industry jeopardizes the safety of homes,
90107 businesses, and communities and accelerates the degradation of these
91108 essential water resources. Immediate action is needed to protect
92109 these vital water resources and to equip the groundwater workforce
93110 with the skills necessary to ensure sustainable water management
94111 practices.
95112 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new se ction of law to be codified
96113 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1020.16a of Title 82, unless
97114 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
98115 A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Water Resources Board
99116 Well Driller and Pump Installer Progr am. The Program shall be
100-administered by the Board who shall have the following duties:
117+administered by the Board and shall have the following duties:
101118 1. License well drilling and pump installation professionals to
102-ensure the integrity of well construction, and ensure those
119+ensure the integrity of well construction, and that those
103120 professionals are meeting construction stand ards to prevent
104121 pollution of groundwater in Oklahoma;
105-2. Develop comprehensive standards and rules in cooperation
106-with the Well Driller and Pump Installer Advisory Council, the
107-Oklahoma Ground Water Association, and public stakeholde rs;
108-3. Provide for training and outreach for licensed well drillers
109-and pump installers;
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149+2. Develop comprehensive standards and rules in cooperation
150+with the Well Driller and Pump Installer Advisory Council, the
151+Oklahoma Ground Water Association, and public stakeholders;
152+3. Provide for training and outreach for licensed well drillers
153+and pump installers;
136154 4. Provide technical assistance to the public regarding
137155 groundwater and well construction; and
138156 5. Focus on funding and supporting the development and
139157 expansion of a groundwater professio nal training program at an
140158 accredited Tier 1 research institution of higher education in
141159 Oklahoma.
142160 B. The groundwater professional training program shall:
143161 1. Support and expand an existing groundwater professional
144162 training program established by the Nati onal Ground Water
145163 Association;
146164 2. Provide specialized education and skills -based micro-
147165 credentials for both current and future groundwater professionals,
148166 including water well drillers, pump installers, plumbers, and heavy
149167 equipment operators; and
150168 3. Partner with state and national industry leaders to ensure
151169 workforce training is conducted using cutting -edge, industry-
152170 approved methods.
153171 C. The Board shall:
154-1. Identify and establish a formal partnership with a
155-qualifying institution o f higher education in Oklahoma;
156-2. Provide funding for the program from the Oklahoma Water
157-Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer Program Revolving
158-Fund established in Section 3 of this act;
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199+1. Identify and establish a formal partnership with a
200+qualifying institution of higher education in Oklahoma;
201+2. Provide funding for the program from the Oklahoma Water
202+Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer Program Revolving
203+Fund established in Section 3 of this act;
185204 3. Provide technical assistance and other support to the
186205 institution to enhance the training program;
187206 4. Work with industry stakeholders to ensure alignment of the
188207 program with current and future workforce demands;
189208 5. Oversee the implementation, evaluation, and continuous
190209 improvement of the Program; and
191210 6. Report annually to th e Governor and the Legislature on the
192211 Program's progress and outcomes.
193212 D. To implement the Program, the Board shall partner with and
194213 provide funding for the Program to an accredited institution of
195214 higher education in this state that is:
196215 1. A Tier 1 research institution of higher education in
197216 Oklahoma to ensure access to specialized subject matter experts in
198217 groundwater, as well as access to advanced research facilities and
199218 modern approaches to solving real -world problems in groundwater
200219 aquifer access. The institution shall have active community
201220 engagement and outreach to ensure both school -aged children and
202221 public populations are made aware of the critical occupations
203222 needed;
204-2. An institution that has an existing memoranda of
205-understanding with state groundwater industry partners to ensure
206-programming is created with industry -approved skills and outcomes;
207-3. An institution that has existing or in -planning
208-opportunities for both university students and nonstudent
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250+2. An institution that has an existing memoranda of
251+understanding with state gr oundwater industry partners to ensure
252+programming is created with industry -approved skills and outcomes;
253+3. An institution that has existing, or in -planning,
254+opportunities for both university students and nonstudent
235255 populations to earn micro -credentials to showcase their achievement
236256 of industry-aligned skills;
237257 4. An institution with a demonstrated history of developing
238-groundwater workforce professionals and expertise necessary to
258+groundwater workforce professionals, and the expertise necessary to
239259 produce high-quality training in groundwater and water quality
240260 subject areas;
241261 5. Capable of providing training that has been created by
242262 individuals specializing in best practices in both online and in -
243263 person education for working professionals and have assessments for
244264 both program effectiveness and participant satisfaction; and
245265 6. Capable of providing training that is flexible to meet the
246266 needs of the current and future workforce.
247267 E. The Board is authorized to promulgate rules to effectuate
248268 the provisions of this section.
249269 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new se ction of law to be codified
250270 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1020.16b of Title 82, unless
251271 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
252272 There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
253273 for the Oklahoma Water Resources Boar d to be designated the
254-"Oklahoma Water Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer
255-Program Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a continuing fund, not
256-subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of all monies
257-deposited to the credit of the fund by law. All monies accruing to
258-the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted
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301+"Oklahoma Water Resources Board Well Driller and Pump Installer
302+Program Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a continuing fund, not
303+subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of all monies
304+deposited to the credit of the fun d by law. All monies accruing to
305+the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted
285306 and expended by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for the purpose
286307 of administering the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Well Driller and
287308 Pump Installer Program established in Section 2 of this act.
288309 Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the
289310 State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the
290311 Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for
291312 approval and payment.
292313 SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
293-Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2025.
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298- Presiding Officer of the House
299- of Representatives
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303-Passed the Senate the _____ day of __________, 2025.
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308- Presiding Officer of the Senate
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315+COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
316+OVERSIGHT, dated 03/05/2025 - DO PASS, As Amended and Coauthored.
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