California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: In Committee 2 D cosponsors

AB 3019 — Oil and gas wells: Hazardous and Idle-Deserted Well Abatement Fund.

Last action — In committee: Held under submission.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law establishes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation, under the direction of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor, who is required to supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of oil and gas wells, as provided. Existing law requires the operator of any idle well to either (1) no later than May 1 of each year, for each idle well that was an idle well at any time in the last calendar year, file with the supervisor an annual fee according to a specified schedule of fees based on the length of time a well has been idle, or (2) file a plan with the supervisor to provide for the management and elimination of all long-term idle wells. Existing law also establishes the Hazardous and Idle-Deserted Well Abatement Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of those idle well fees, and continuously appropriates moneys in the fund to the department for expenditure to mitigate a hazardous or potentially hazardous condition, by well plugging and abandonment, decommissioning the production facilities, or both, at a well of an operator, as provided. Existing law establishes requirements that apply when a public entity is required by statute or regulation to obtain an enforceable commitment that a bidder, contractor, or other entity will use a skilled and trained workforce to complete a contract or project, as provided. This bill would require the department to make available at least 25% of the funds to be expended each year from the Hazardous and Idle-Deserted Well Abatement Fund to a county in which there are at least 100 orphaned or deserted oil and gas wells and that attests to the department that it can plug and abandon those wells more quickly than the department can, as provided. The bill would also require the department, upon becoming aware of liquid or gas leaking from an orphaned or deserted oil and gas well, to immediately make available at least 10% of the funds to be expended each year from the fund to the county in which the well is located, if the county attests to the department that it can plug and abandon the well more quickly than the department can, as provided. The bill would require the department to distribute funds amongst eligible counties based on the number of wells that would be plugged and abandoned by the county and the cost estimate to plug and abandon the wells. The bill would require the expenditure of all money from the fund to comply with those skilled and trained workforce requirements, as provided.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In committee: Held under submission.

  2. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  3. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. Read second time and amended.

  5. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 22).

  6. Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  7. From printer. May be heard in committee March 18.

  8. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 10 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 5001
Republican 3000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 10001
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Wood — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Not Voting
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment labor
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 3019 do?
Existing law establishes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation, under the direction of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor, who is required to supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of oil and gas wells, as provided. Existing law requires the operator of any idle well to either (1) no later than May 1 of each year, for each idle well that was an idle well at any time in the last calendar year, file with the supervisor an annual fee according to a specified schedule of fees based on the length of time a well has been idle, or (2) file a plan with the supervisor to provide for the management and elimination of all long-term idle wells. Existing law also establishes the Hazardous and Idle-Deserted Well Abatement Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of those idle well fees, and continuously appropriates moneys in the fund to the department for expenditure to mitigate a hazardous or potentially hazardous condition, by well plugging and abandonment, decommissioning the production facilities, or both, at a well of an operator, as provided. Existing law establishes requirements that apply when a public entity is required by statute or regulation to obtain an enforceable commitment that a bidder, contractor, or other entity will use a skilled and trained workforce to complete a contract or project, as provided. This bill would require the department to make available at least 25% of the funds to be expended each year from the Hazardous and Idle-Deserted Well Abatement Fund to a county in which there are at least 100 orphaned or deserted oil and gas wells and that attests to the department that it can plug and abandon those wells more quickly than the department can, as provided. The bill would also require the department, upon becoming aware of liquid or gas leaking from an orphaned or deserted oil and gas well, to immediately make available at least 10% of the funds to be expended each year from the fund to the county in which the well is located, if the county attests to the department that it can plug and abandon the well more quickly than the department can, as provided. The bill would require the department to distribute funds amongst eligible counties based on the number of wells that would be plugged and abandoned by the county and the cost estimate to plug and abandon the wells. The bill would require the expenditure of all money from the fund to comply with those skilled and trained workforce requirements, as provided.
Who sponsors AB 3019?
AB 3019 is sponsored by Bains, Jasmeet (Democratic) and Bryan, Isaac G. (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 3019?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 3019?
Track AB 3019 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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