State lands-notice for mineral leases.
AN ACT relating to state lands; requiring the board of land commissioners to provide notice before issuing or extending a mineral lease on state lands and state school lands as specified; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.
HB0058 is a bill that would require the Board of Land Commissioners to give notice before issuing or extending a mineral lease on state and state school lands. This means that before they can give permission for companies to explore or extract minerals like oil, gas, or coal on these lands, they must inform the public. This bill aims to ensure transparency and community involvement in decisions about state and school lands.
This bill would affect anyone who is interested in the use and management of state and school lands, particularly those living near these areas. It would also impact companies that are considering applying for mineral leases on these lands by adding an extra step of public notice.
HB0058 was recently in the legislative process but did not get considered for introduction. It was received for introduction on January 2, 2025, and assigned a bill number on December 18, 2024. However, on February 3, 2025, it failed to move forward in the House.