HB 1923 Summary

• Creates the Emergency Drought Relief Fund as a continuing fund in the State Treasury to receive state appropriations, gifts, grants, private donations, and federal funding for emergency drought relief activities.

• Transfers $3,000,000 from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board appropriation to the Emergency Drought Relief Fund.

• Establishes the Emergency Drought Commission consisting of the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to determine expenditures from the fund when drought emergency is declared by the Governor.

• Makes the fund available for drought response activities including pond cleanup and construction, water conservation methods, livestock water provision, rural fire suppression, red cedar eradication, soil conservation, emergency infrastructure conservation, and other identified drought response activities.

• Takes effect July 15, 2013, with an emergency declaration for immediate implementation.