Coalbed methane gas; presumption of ownership. (HB1179)

Introduced By

Del. Bud Phillips (D-Castlewood)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Natural gas; presumption of ownership.  Provides that the surface owner of real property shall be presumed to be the owner of any natural gas, including coalbed methane gas, below the surface unless the right to ownership or possession of the natural gas has been expressly conferred by deed or other instrument. The owner or lessee of a minerals estate shall bear the burden of proof to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the ownership or possession of natural gas was transferred by the deed or instrument that created or severed the mineral estate. The Auditor of Public Accounts is required to audit escrow accounts containing gas royalties from units with unknown or disputed owners. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/13/2010Committee
01/13/2010Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 10101231D
01/13/2010Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/19/2010Referred from Commerce and Labor
01/19/2010Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
02/09/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB1179)
02/10/2010Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/10/2010Committee substitute printed 10104918D-H1
02/11/2010Read first time
02/12/2010Read second time
02/12/2010Committee substitute agreed to 10104918D-H1
02/12/2010Emergency clause added
02/12/2010Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB1179H1
02/15/2010Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
02/15/2010VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2010Constitutional reading dispensed
02/16/2010Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
02/17/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB1179H1)
02/22/2010Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2010Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2010Read third time
02/24/2010Reading of amendment waived
02/24/2010Committee amendment agreed to
02/24/2010Engrossed by Senate as amended
02/24/2010Passed Senate with amendment (39-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/25/2010Placed on Calendar
02/26/2010Senate amendment rejected by House (2-Y 94-N)
02/26/2010VOTE: --- REJECTED (2-Y 94-N) (see vote tally)
03/02/2010Senate insisted on amendment (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/02/2010Senate requested conference committee
03/03/2010House acceded to request
03/03/2010Conferees appointed by House
03/03/2010Delegates: Phillips, Griffith, Morefield
03/04/2010Conferees appointed by Senate
03/04/2010Senators: Puckett, Reynolds, Blevins
03/09/2010Conference report agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N)
03/09/2010VOTE: --- ADOPTION EMERGENCY (97-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/10/2010Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
03/22/2010Enrolled
03/22/2010Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1179ER)
03/22/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB1179ER)
03/22/2010Signed by Speaker
03/25/2010Signed by President
04/13/2010G Approved by Governor-Chapter 762 (effective 7/1/10)
04/13/2010G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0762)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 20 seconds.