ROFR-NOFR faces important deadline in order to survive in Oklahoma legislature

If a controversial bill that started as a ROFR or Right of First Refusal Bill and morphed into what critics labeled a NOFR bill, is to survive in the Oklahoma legislature, it faces a Thursday deadline.

If the Oklahoma Senate Rules Committee doesn’t take a vote by Thursday, April 11, then HB4097 by Rep. Trey Caldwell of Lawton, could fail to become law for a second legislative session. Some contend it would be killed, but long-time observers of the Oklahoma legislature also believe nothing is truly killed or dead in the legislature until sine die.

Right of First Refusal is a law meant to give utilities the power to refuse competitive bidding for major transmission line projects. An attempt failed last year to pass a ROFR law so it reappeared this year, drawing some strong opposition by renewable energy firms and others who contend ROFR would lead to higher utility rates.

We’ve followed the ROFR interim studies and hearings and votes and now KSWO TV in Lawton carried a story about the growth and development of the bill and what could happen to it. The station is the first in the state to carry a substantive story about the issue that could affect ratepayers.

Click here for KSWO TV

The post ROFR-NOFR faces important deadline in order to survive in Oklahoma legislature first appeared on Oklahoma Energy Today.