AB 706 — Leasing of public lands: minerals other than oil and gas.

Summary

Existing law authorizes the State Lands Commission to issue prospecting permits and leases for the extraction and removal of minerals, other than oil and gas or other hydrocarbon substances, from specified lands. Existing law prohibits the commission from issuing a permit or lease until it has been submitted to, and approved by, the Attorney General, as specified. This bill would delete the provision relating to Attorney General approval and would authorize the commission to grant nonexclusive geological or geophysical exploration permits for minerals upon those terms and conditions as the commission may prescribe, without giving the permittee any preferential treatment. Existing law requires an applicant to mark each of the corners of the tract described in the permit, as provided, within 90 days after receiving the permit, unless the tract consists of tide or submerged lands. Existing law grants an applicant preferential right to a permit if the applicant erects a monument on that land, as provided. This bill would repeal these provisions. Existing law grants a permittee entitlement to a lease for not more than 960 acres of land included in a prospecting permit if the presence of commercially valuable deposits of minerals has been discovered to the satisfaction of the commission. Existing law requires the permittee to pay an annual rental of not less than $1 per acre. This bill would delete that entitlement and instead grant the permittee priority over other applicants for 365 days, unless the permittee submits a complete lease application, in which case the priority will expire upon the commission's consideration or applicant's withdrawal of the application. The bill would also instead require the permittee to pay an annual rental of not less than fair market value. Existing law requires a permittee to pay the state 20% of the gross value of the minerals the permittee secures from the land included in the permit until the permittee applies for a lease for the same land. This bill would instead require the permittee to pay the state 20% of the gross value of all minerals secured from the land included in the permit until the permittee applies for a lease for the same land. Existing law limits the term for a lease to 20 years or less and grants the lessee preferential right to renew the lease for successive periods not to exceed 10 years each. This bill would delete that preferential right to renew the lease. Existing law requires the commission to prescribe additional terms, covenants, and conditions to permits and leases as in its opinion will effectually protect the interests of the state in the mineral deposits. This bill would delete "covenants" from that requirement.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 07/27/23 - Chaptered Current pdf July 27, 2023
• Enrolled 07/14/23 - Enrolled pdf July 14, 2023
• Amended 05/15/23 - Amended Assembly pdf May 15, 2023
• Introduced 02/13/23 - Introduced pdf February 13, 2023
• AB706 View text html

Action History

1. July 27, 2023

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 120, Statutes of 2023.

2. July 27, 2023

   Approved by the Governor.

3. July 25, 2023

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. July 13, 2023

   In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

5. July 13, 2023

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2036.).

6. July 05, 2023

   Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

7. July 03, 2023

   From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

8. June 22, 2023

   From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

9. May 31, 2023

   Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

10. May 23, 2023

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

11. May 22, 2023

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1685.)

12. May 15, 2023

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 1547.)

13. April 27, 2023

    Ordered to third reading.

14. April 27, 2023

    From Consent Calendar.

15. April 20, 2023

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

16. April 19, 2023

    From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 19).

17. March 28, 2023

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (March 27). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

18. February 23, 2023

    Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

19. February 14, 2023

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

20. February 13, 2023

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Robert Rivas · Primary

Votes

Subjects