Oklahoma : 2015 Regular Session : BILL HB1420
Waters and water rights; repealing the Oklahoma Weather Modification Act; effective date.
Sponsor: Rep Jason Murphey & Sen Nathan Dahm
Bill Details
Waters and water rights; repealing the Oklahoma Weather Modification Act; effective date.
GeoLawWatch Bill Summary
This bill does not add new rules. Instead, it repeals the entire Oklahoma Weather Modification Act (82 O.S. 2011, Sections 1087.21–1087.33), effective November 1, 2015. As of that date, the act ceased to be in effect, and its provisions no longer applied.
- The state's regulatory framework for weather modification activities
- Any licensing or permit requirements that existed under the prior act
- Oversight mechanisms for cloud seeding and related activities
- Any penalties or enforcement provisions contained in the repealed sections
Starting November 1, 2015, Oklahoma no longer had any state law about weather modification, so from that date forward, there has been no legal framework for these activities.
History
HB 1420 moved through the Oklahoma legislature at an unusual pace and with minimal opposition. Introduced on February 2, 2015, by Representative Murphey, the bill was referred to the Environmental Law Committee, which reported it favorably with a committee substitute on February 25. The House passed it overwhelmingly on March 11 (79-3), and after engrossmen,t it moved to the Senate. The Senate Energy Committee issued a Do Pass recommendation on April 1, and the full Senate approved it on April 14 with only one dissenting vote (43-1). Governor Mary Fallin signed the bill on April 21, 2015, with an effective date of November 1, 2015.
The lopsided votes in both chambers (79-3 in the House, 43-1 in the Senate) suggest a broad bipartisan consensus that the Weather Modification Act was unnecessary or outdated. The committee substitute noted in the history indicates some refinement occurred during markup, though the final enrolled bill is a straightforward repeal without amendments or exceptions. The entire process took less than three months from introduction to gubernatorial signature.
- Mon 02 Feb 2015 First Reading
- Mon 02 Feb 2015 Authored by Representative Murphey
- Tue 03 Feb 2015 Second Reading referred to Environmental Law
- Wed 25 Feb 2015 CR; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Environmental Law Committee
- Wed 25 Feb 2015 Authored by Senator Dahm (principal Senate author)
- Wed 11 Mar 2015 General Order
- Wed 11 Mar 2015 Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 79 Nays: 3
- Wed 11 Mar 2015 Referred for engrossment
- Mon 16 Mar 2015 Engrossed, signed, to Senate
- Mon 16 Mar 2015 First Reading
- Wed 18 Mar 2015 Second Reading referred to Energy
- Wed 01 Apr 2015 Reported Do Pass Energy committee; CR filed
- Tue 14 Apr 2015 General Order, Considered
- Tue 14 Apr 2015 Measure passed: Ayes: 43 Nays: 1
- Tue 14 Apr 2015 Engrossed measure signed, returned to House
- Tue 14 Apr 2015 Referred for enrollment
- Wed 15 Apr 2015 Enrolled, signed, to Senate
- Wed 15 Apr 2015 Enrolled measure signed, returned to House
- Wed 15 Apr 2015 Sent to Governor
- Tue 21 Apr 2015 Approved by Governor 04/21/2015
Consolidated Bill Text
By: Murphey of the House
and
Dahm of the Senate
An Act relating to waters and water rights; repealing 82 O.S. 2011, Sections 1087.21, 1087.22, 1087.23, 1087.24, 1087.25, 1087.26, 1087.27, 1087.28, 1087.29, 1087.30, 1087.31, 1087.32 and 1087.33, which relate to the Oklahoma Weather Modification Act; and providing an effective date.
SUBJECT: Oklahoma Weather Modification Act
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. REPEALER 82 O.S. 2011, Sections 1087.21, 1087.22,1087.23, 1087.24, 1087.25, 1087.26, 1087.27, 1087.28, 1087.29,1087.30, 1087.31, 1087.32 and 1087.33, are hereby repealed.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2015.
Passed the House of Representatives the 11th day of March, 2015.
Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 14th day of April, 2015.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma April 21, 2015.
Governor of the State of Oklahoma