Bill Text: PA HB623 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act amending the act of December 15, 1955 (P.L.865, No.256), entitled "An act requiring rents and royalties from oil and gas leases of Commonwealth land to be placed in a special fund to be used for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood control; authorizing the Secretary of Forests and Waters to determine the need for and location of such projects and to acquire the necessary land," further providing for the Oil and Gas Lease Fund; and making editorial changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 20-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-26 - Referred to ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY [HB623 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB623-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 682
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 623 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY ROHRER, BOYD, BROOKS, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, FAIRCHILD, GROVE, HALUSKA, HELM, KAUFFMAN, MOUL, MURT, PICKETT, ROAE, ROCK, STERN, SWANGER, TRUE AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 26, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 15, 1955 (P.L.865, No.256),
entitled "An act requiring rents and royalties from oil and
gas leases of Commonwealth land to be placed in a special
fund to be used for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood
control; authorizing the Secretary of Forests and Waters to
determine the need for and location of such projects and to
acquire the necessary land," further providing for the Oil
and Gas Lease Fund; and making editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title of the act of December 15, 1955 (P.L.
865, No.256), entitled "An act requiring rents and royalties
from oil and gas leases of Commonwealth land to be placed in a
special fund to be used for conservation, recreation, dams, and
flood control; authorizing the Secretary of Forests and Waters
to determine the need for and location of such projects and to
acquire the necessary land," is amended to read:
AN ACT
Requiring rents and royalties from oil and gas leases of
Commonwealth land to be placed in a special fund to be used
for conservation, recreation, dams, and flood control;
authorizing the Secretary of [Forests and Waters]
Conservation and Natural Resources to determine the need for
and location of such projects and to acquire the necessary
land.
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1. The following words and phrases when used in this
act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Base royalty." The total amount of rents and royalties from
oil and gas leases attributed to any parcel of land owned by the
Commonwealth in fiscal year 2008-2009, except rents and
royalties from game and fish lands.
Section 3. Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the act are amended to
read:
[Section 1.]
Section 2. Oil and Gas Lease Fund.
(a) Base royalty.--All [rents and] base royalties from oil
and gas leases of any land owned by the Commonwealth, except
rents and royalties received from game and fish lands, shall be
placed in a special fund to be known as the "Oil and Gas Lease
Fund" which fund shall be exclusively used for conservation,
recreation, dams, or flood control or to match any Federal
grants which may be made for any of the aforementioned purposes.
(b) Additional royalty.--Except for rents and royalties from
game and fish lands, any rent or royalty collected in addition
to the base royalty shall be distributed annually as follows:
(1) Eighty percent shall be deposited in the Property
Tax Relief Fund.
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(2) Twenty percent shall be deposited in the Oil and Gas
Lease Fund as provided under subsection (a).
(c) Game and fish lands.--All rents and royalties from oil
and gas leases received from game and fish lands shall be
distributed as provided under 30 Pa.C.S. § 747 (relating to
proceeds from sales and grants) and 34 Pa.C.S. § 727 (relating
to proceeds from sales and grants).
[Section 2.]
Section 3. Duties of Secretary of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
It shall be within the discretion of the Secretary of
[Forests and Waters] Conservation and Natural Resources to
determine the need for and the location of any project
authorized by this act. The Secretary of [Forests and Waters]
Conservation and Natural Resources shall have the power to
acquire in the name of the Commonwealth by purchase,
condemnation or otherwise such lands as may be needed.
[Section 3. All]
Section 4. Use of fund.
Except as otherwise provided under section 2(b) and (c), the
moneys from time to time paid into the "Oil and Gas Lease Fund"
are specifically appropriated to the Department of [Forests and
Waters] Conservation and Natural Resources to carry out the
purposes of this act.
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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