SB 1733 Arizona Senate · 57th Legislature - First Regular Session

oil and gas commission; helium

SB 1733 renames the regulatory body from "oil and gas commission" to "oil and gas conservation commission" and updates key definitions in Arizona's oil and gas laws to explicitly include helium within the definition of "gas." The bill also clarifies the commission's structure, placing it under the Department of Environmental Quality and specifying appointment procedures for its members. This procedural update ensures regulatory terminology aligns with current practices without introducing new operational requirements.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 10, 2025 Last action Apr 1, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Senate Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Mar 13, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates Arizona's oil and gas conservation laws by renaming the commission, clarifying definitions, and establishing a dedicated state fund for conservation activities. It also adds exemptions for helium exploration wells from aquifer protection requirements and adjusts fee structures for drilling permits and hearings.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope by adding helium exploration wells to aquifer protection exemptions and creating a new dedicated fund for the oil and gas conservation commission.
DEFINITION

Changed the article heading from 'Production and Conservation' to 'Oil and Gas Conservation Commission' to better reflect the commission's purpose.

Updated the definition of 'Well' to include various drilling and injection holes used for hydrocarbon exploration, storage, or pressure maintenance.

FISCAL

Established a new 'Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Fund' (section 27-528) to receive legislative appropriations and collected fees, exempt from standard appropriation lapse rules.

REQUIREMENT

Added helium exploration, water injection wells, and production wells to the list of facilities exempt from aquifer protection permit requirements.

Adjusted drilling permit fees to $25 per well and established a $50 fee for requesting hearings, with reimbursement mechanisms for actual costs.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified enforcement procedures allowing the commission to seek injunctions without bond and specifying civil penalties for violations.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
4
Committee
2
Amendments
1
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
PASSED
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
DPA
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
DP
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
DP
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Mark Finchem
Mark Finchem
RRepublican
AZ
1