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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1910 By: Alonso-Sandoval of the
House
and
Nice of the Senate
An Act relating to environment and natural resources; providing a
short title; providing for the establishment and administration of
the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program; providing for purpose of
program; providing funding source; providing for promulgation of
program guidelines once funding is available; requiring conservation
districts to enter into contracts for eligible projects detailing
responsibilities; defining terms; providing considerations for
program guidelines; requiring applicants to submi t certain
information, forms, and reports; providing that persons may apply to
a conservation district for cost share funds for eligible urban
agriculture initiatives; providing requirements to receive a
reimbursement; providing for approval and denial of applications;
requiring the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to prepare and post
certain statistical data; requiring dissemination of data to certain
state cabinet secretaries; providing for liability of state;
amending 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3 -2-110, which relates to Oklahoma
Conservation Commission Infrastructure Revolving Fund; expanding
purpose of fund to include funding the Urban Agriculture Cost Share
Program; providing for codification; and providing an effective
date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-601 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Urban
Agriculture Cost Share Program".
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SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-602 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to
establish and administer an Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program as
funds become available. The Cost Share Program shall provide monies
to eligible persons.
B. The purpose of the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program is
to promote sustainable urban agricultural practices, improve food
security, and enhance green spaces in Oklahoma's urban areas.
C. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission Infrastruc ture
Revolving Fund shall provide funding for the Urban Agriculture Cost
Share Program. When sufficient funds are available in the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission Infrastructure Revolving F und, the
Commission shall develop and disseminate the program guidelines to
the conservation districts containing urban areas. The guidelines
shall detail incentives to eligible persons for initiating and
continuing urban agriculture initiatives.
D. To implement the program, the Commission shall require
conservation districts to enter into contracts for eligible projects
on eligible land detailing the eligible person's responsibilities.
E. For purposes of the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program:
1. "Eligible person" means any individual, partnership,
corporation, or legally recognized Indian tribe which shall include
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land held in trust, estate, or trust who as an owner, lessee,
tenant, or operator participates in the care or management of land
within a conservation district;
2. "Eligible land" means land that is wit hin five (5) miles of
an urban area that is:
a. privately owned land within the state,
b. land owned by the state or a political subdivision of
the state, or
c. lands temporarily owned by the United States or a
corporation wholly owned by it, which were not
acquired or reserved for conservation purposes,
including lands administered by the Farm Service
Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense, or by any
other government agency;
3. "Eligible projects" means urban agriculture projects that
include, but are not limited to:
a. establishing or expanding community gardens in urban
neighborhoods,
b. rooftop and vertical farming,
c. installing greenhouses, high tunnels, or hoop houses
for food production,
d. installing rainwater harvesting systems and efficient
irrigation for urban farming,
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e. enhancing soil health through composting and nutrient
management in urban areas,
f. establishing urban apiaries,
g. planting urban pollinator gardens,
h. building livestock infrastructure such as chicken
coops or goat enclosures ,
i. developing and implementing education programs on
urban farming practices,
j. creating, operating, and maintaining an urban food
waste composting program,
k. urban marketing initiatives for Oklahoma farms to sell
in urban areas, and
l. other projects that accomplish the objectives and
purpose of this Cost Share Program; and
4. "Urban Area" means the areas in Oklahoma which have been
defined by the United States Census Bureau as urban are as based on
certain criteria and utilizing data from the most rec ent Federal
Decennial Census.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-603 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
When developing the guidelines for an Urban Agriculture Cost
Share Program, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission shall consider:
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1. Prioritizing projects in geographic areas where residents
have low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and
affordable food;
2. Building on existing urban agriculture projects to continue
to grow community engagement;
3. Reviewing approved cost -share methods available through
USDA-NRCS to promote urban agriculture, improve urban food security,
and enhance green spaces in urban areas; and
4. Evaluating if other federal, state, or Oklahoma tribal
programs can be enhanced by the inclusion of practices in the
Commission's Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codif ied
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-604 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Conservation Commission shall require applicants to
submit information, forms and reports as necessary to properly and
efficiently administer the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program.
B. Persons may apply to a conservation district for cost share
funds for eligible urban agriculture initiatives in the Sta te of
Oklahoma, in accordance with the Cost Share Program year gu idelines
prepared yearly by the Commission. To be eligible for reimbursement
for an urban agriculture cost share project, an eligible person
shall:
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1. Develop and file for review and approv al with the
conservation district a project plan that details the urban
agriculture project plans, location of project, materials needed,
expected expenditure, length of time expected to complete project
construction, monitoring or operation plan if applic able, and
expected community benefit of project; and
2. Enter into a contract with a conservation district detailing
the responsibilities of the eligible person for the initial Cost
Share Program year as well as any potential continuing
responsibilities that are required to operate and maintain the
project, if applicable.
C. Applications for funds shall be approved or denied by the
conservation district in accordance with promulgated criteria
prepared by the Commission.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statu tes as Section 3-3-605 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Upon the conclusion of each Cost Share Program year, the
Oklahoma Conservation Commi ssion shall prepare and post on the
agency website the statistical data for number and type of urban
agriculture projects, funds expended, and urban community impacts by
urban area of the cost share practices for that program year. This
same information shall also be shared with the state cabinet
Secretaries of Agricul ture and Energy and Environment.
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SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-606 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Nothing in this act or in the contract executed pursuant to
Section 4 of this act shall be interpreted or construed to
constitute a financial or general obligation of the state. No state
revenue shall be used to guarantee or pay for any damages to
property or injury to p ersons as a result of the provisions of this
act or the contract.
SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3 -2-110, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 3-2-110. A. There is hereby created in the State
Treasury a revolving fund for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission
to be designated the "Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Infrastructure Revolving Fund".
B. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to f iscal
year limitations, and shall consist of all monies received by the
Oklahoma Conservation Commission from the apportionment of gross
production tax revenues as prescribed by Section 1004 of Title 68 of
the Oklahoma Statutes.
C. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby
appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission for the purpose of the rehabilitation of
watershed dams and, for the Conservation Cost Share Program , the
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Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program, and the Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program.
D. Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants
issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by
law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services for approval and payment.
E. No more than thirty percent (30%) of the monies in the fund
shall be used for the payment of administrative expenses, salary or
any other continuing obligation of the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission; provided, however, s uch monies shall not be used for
salary increases for employees.
SECTION 8. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
Passed the House of Representatives the 17th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the _____ day of __________, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate