HB 1728: Invasive cedar; creating the Salt Cedar Eradication Act; defining terms; creating certain program; rules; report; effective date; emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended during its Senate floor review to update formatting and correct inconsistencies between the House and Senate versions. The substantive policy content regarding invasive salt cedar eradication remains unchanged, but the Senate version now includes proper formatting headers, corrected author names, and standardized section numbering. These changes ensure consistency across legislative chambers before final passage.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability. The bill continues to authorize the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to manage invasive salt cedar in the Upper Red River Basin using a revolving fund.

TECHNICAL

Updated document headers from 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' to 'SENATE FLOOR VERSION' to reflect the current legislative chamber.

Corrected author names to include 'Murdock of the Senate' alongside House sponsors for accuracy.

Standardized section numbering and formatting throughout the document to match Senate conventions.

Updated committee report date from February 17, 2025 to April 23, 2025 to reflect the current Senate floor date.

HB1728 (5-01-25) (HOWARD) FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a Senate chamber version to a House floor version, with the substantive content remaining largely the same. The primary change is the transition from a committee amendment format to a formal enacted bill structure with proper statutory sections. The bill establishes a program to eradicate invasive salt cedar species in Oklahoma counties within the Upper Red River Basin, creating a revolving fund and defining key terms. This matters because it formalizes the legislation for final passage and implementation by state agencies.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on Oklahoma counties within the Upper Red River Basin, with no substantive changes to applicability. The format changed from a committee amendment document to a formal House floor version ready for enactment.

TECHNICAL

Changed document header from Senate Chamber/Committee Amendment format to House Floor Version format

STRUCTURE

Added formal statutory sections with proper codification references to Oklahoma Statutes Title 27A

DEFINITION

Defined key terms including 'Eligible Landowners', 'Eradication', and 'Salt Cedar' for legal clarity

FISCAL

Created the Salt Cedar Eradication Revolving Fund with provisions for deposits, expenditures, and fund management

REQUIREMENT

Established annual reporting requirements to the Governor, legislative leaders, and appropriation committee chairs

TIMELINE

Set effective date of July 1, 2025 and declared emergency for immediate implementation upon passage

House Committee Substitute → HB1728 (5-01-25) (HOWARD) FA1.PDF · 1 edit

MINOR

Senator Howard amended HB 1728 to narrow the geographic scope of the Salt Cedar Eradication Program. The changes specify that the program now applies only to the 'North Fork of the Upper Red River Basin' rather than the entire Upper Red River Basin, affecting which counties and landowners are eligible for assistance and where eradication efforts will be focused.

Scope change

The bill's geographic scope was narrowed from the entire Upper Red River Basin to specifically the North Fork of the Upper Red River Basin, limiting program eligibility and funding to that smaller area.

SCOPE

Added 'North Fork of the' to five instances throughout the bill where 'Upper Red River Basin' was referenced, restricting the program's geographic application.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → House Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a 'Proposed Committee Substitute' to a 'Committee Substitute' after full committee review, with minor formatting and numbering adjustments throughout the document. The substantive policy content, including definitions, program structure, and funding mechanisms, remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Document title changed from 'PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to reflect the bill's current status in the legislative process.

Request number updated from 12480 to 12636 on multiple pages, indicating a new tracking number for the revised version.

Date stamp changed from 02/10/25 to 02/14/25, reflecting the updated committee review date.

Minor formatting adjustments including line spacing and page numbering alignment throughout the document.

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended from its Engrossed version to a Proposed Committee Substitute version, which completely replaces the original text with a new version. The changes include technical formatting updates, capitalization corrections for terms like 'Salt Cedar' and 'Eligible Landowners', and minor wording adjustments throughout the document. No substantive policy changes to the core provisions of the Salt Cedar Eradication Act were made.

TECHNICAL

Document header and page numbering were updated from 'ENGROSSED HOUSE' to 'PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' with new formatting and committee amendment information.

Minor wording adjustments were made, such as changing 'Salt Cedar Eradication Revolving Fund' to 'Salt Cedar Eradication Program Revolving Fund' in one instance and correcting 'appropriation committees' to 'appropriation chairs' in the reporting requirements section.

New committee amendment header information was added including the amendment submitter name, date, and reading clerk signature lines.

DEFINITION

Capitalization was corrected for defined terms such as 'Eligible Landowners' and 'Salt Cedar' throughout the bill text.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 3 edits · May 8, 2025

MINOR

The bill was amended to add 'North Fork of the' before 'Red' in multiple references to the Upper Red River Basin, clarifying the geographic scope. A new revolving fund was created to finance Salt Cedar eradication efforts, and the effective date was set to July 1, 2025.

Scope change

The geographic scope was clarified to specifically include the North Fork of the Upper Red River Basin, and a new funding mechanism was established through a dedicated revolving fund.

SCOPE

Added 'North Fork of the' before 'Red' in references to the Upper Red River Basin to clarify the specific geographic area covered by the eradication program.

FISCAL

Created a new Salt Cedar Eradication Revolving Fund in the State Treasury to collect and manage monies for eradication efforts, allowing expenditures to be made via warrants issued by the State Treasurer.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to July 1, 2025.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 4 edits · May 8, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to transfer oversight of the Salt Cedar Eradication Program from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. This change aligns program administration with the agency that has broader conservation and land management responsibilities. Additionally, specific geographic references were updated to clarify the North Fork of the Red River Basin as the target area for eradication efforts.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from being administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to being administered by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, which now leads the program in collaboration with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

SCOPE

Primary responsibility for the Salt Cedar Eradication Program moved from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is now authorized to use funds from the Salt Cedar Eradication Revolving Fund instead of the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.

TECHNICAL

Geographic references were updated to specify the 'North Fork of the Upper Red River Basin' in multiple locations to clarify the target area for eradication efforts.

REQUIREMENT

Annual reporting requirements were transferred from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

Invasive cedar; creating the Salt Cedar Eradication Act; defining terms; creating certain program; rules; report; effective date; emergency.

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