Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners were told this week if the number of legislative bills dealing with eminent domain, land and other issues directly related to the agency become law, there might be a need to create a new division within the agency.
Administrator Brandy Wreath made the suggestion Tuesday in response to a briefing by Travis Weedn, the Legislative Liaison for the Commission who detailed the number of bills that would directly affect the agency.
“Another big load—unfunded mandate, whatever you want to call it,” remarked Weedn, which prompted Wreath to tell commissioners, they might need to create a “separate division to handle the land bills.” Again, if they become law.
In an explanation to OK Energy Today, Wreath said it was too early to make any absolutes and the word “may” would be necessary.
“A separate Division may be necessary if OCC receives duties related to property rights or similar activities. We do not currently do those types of activities, and those cases are usually heavily litigated as we understand it. However, we will not know for sure how much the impact, even potentially, until we know the specifics of any new regulatory duties that make it through to law,” he wrote in an email response.
“Bottom line is that it is too early to “know” anything for sure. Our goal is to stay working closely with legislators and stakeholders to ensure the best outcomes possible!”
Whether some of the existing bills would create more responsibility on the Corporation Commission and its divisions, Wreath said it’s too early to determine if they will be unfunded mandates.
“The reason for that is some bills provide funding directly, while others rely on the agency to make an additional appropriations request. If we must do a request and it is then denied, then the mandate becomes unfunded.”
He’s hoping legislators will work with the Commission on what it might take to fulfill the duties mandated to the agency.
“We do not want to be in the position of receiving duties and not being able to fulfill them. That is especially important as OCC already has so many duties that require highly skilled people. If we were to spread them even further, some missions would have to suffer,” said Wreath.