Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 265 By: Murdock
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7 AS INTRODUCED
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8 An Act relating to water and water rights; creating
8 the Oklahoma Water Infrastructure Loan Program;
9 providing program purpose; specifying eligible
9 projects and entities; creating the Oklahoma Water
10 Infrastructure Revolving Fund; establishing purpose
10 of fund; stating source of fund; providing for
11 allocation of certain funds; requiring promulgation
11 of rules; requiring annual reporting; subjecting
12 program to annual auditing; providing for
12 codification; and declaring an emergency.
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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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18 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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19 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1085.66 of Title 82, unless
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20 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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21 A. 1. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall establish an
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22 Oklahoma Water Infrastructure Loan Program. The program shall be
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23 utilized to:
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1 a. finance the development of water infrastructure
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2 improvements through low-interest loans and grants to
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3 municipalities, rural water districts, and other
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4 eligible entities for approved water infrastructure
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5 projects, and
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6 b. provide technical assistance and administrative
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7 expense support for water infrastructure project
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8 implementation.
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9 2. Approved water infrastructure projects shall include, but
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10 not be limited to:
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11 a. the construction, repair, and rehabilitation of water
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12 treatment plants, pipelines, and storage facilities,
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13 b. projects to ensure water quality and conservation, and
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14 c. other projects deemed necessary by the Board to
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15 address current and future water needs.
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16 B. The Board shall promulgate rules for project eligibility,
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17 application procedures, and fund disbursement.
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18 C. 1. The Board shall submit an annual report electronically
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19 to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
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20 of Representatives, and the Governor, detailing the following:
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21 a. fund revenues and expenditures,
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22 b. projects financed and the current status of such
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23 projects,
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24 c. future funding needs and recommendations, and
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1 d. any other information deemed necessary for inclusion
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2 by the Board or its staff.
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3 2. The program shall be subject to an annual independent audit
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4 of expenditures from the fund.
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5 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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6 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1085.67 of Title 82, unless
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7 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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8 A. 1. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a
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9 revolving fund for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to be
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10 designated the "Oklahoma Water Infrastructure Revolving Fund". The
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11 fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year
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12 limitations, and shall consist of all monies received by the Board
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13 from the sources prescribed in subsection B of this section provided
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14 for the purpose of funding water infrastructure projects as
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15 prescribed by this act. All monies accruing to the credit of the
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16 fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the
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17 Board for the purpose provided for in this act. Expenditures from
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18 the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer
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19 against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the
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20 Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and
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21 payment. The Board may enter into contracts with financial
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22 institutions and execute such instruments as may be necessary to
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23 hold and disseminate program funds in accordance with applicable
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24 regulations and Board policies.
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1 2. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, income and
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2 investment return on fund principal and interest income and
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3 repayment of principal on loans made from the balance of the fund
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4 shall accrue to the fund.
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5 3. Not less than ten percent (10%) of the fund's annual revenue
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6 shall be allocated to projects in rural or underserved communities,
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7 as determined by the Board.
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8 B. Monies deposited to the fund shall include, but not be
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9 limited to:
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10 1. Proceeds derived from the sale of surplus water from state-
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11 owned water resources. Provided:
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12 a. all proceeds from the sale of state-owned water shall
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13 be deposited into the fund within thirty (30) days of
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14 receipt, and
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15 b. the sale of water under this section shall not violate
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16 existing water rights agreements;
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17 2. Fees collected from the leasing of state-owned water rights
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18 or usage agreements;
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19 3. Grants, donations, or contributions from federal, state, or
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20 private entities; and
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21 4. Interest and investment returns generated from fund
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22 balances.
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23 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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24 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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1 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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2 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 593 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.