Public lands: oil and gas leases.

Existing law authorizes the State Lands Commission to lease lands owned by the state that are under the jurisdiction of the commission for those purposes as the commission deems advisable, including, but not limited to, grazing leases and leases for commercial, industrial, and recreational purposes. Existing law allows lessees of oil and gas and mineral leases to make and file with the commission a written quitclaim or relinquishment of all rights under a lease comprising a particular parcel. The quitclaim or relinquishment becomes effective as of the date of its filing subject to specified conditions. This bill instead would allow a lessee to file with the commission a written request for the commission to approve a quitclaim or relinquishment of all or any portion of the lease premises under an oil and gas and mineral lease subject to any required abandonment of facilities and required reclamation of the lease premises. The bill would require, upon a lessee's completion of abandonment and reclamation of the lease premises, the request to approve a quitclaim or relinquishment of all rights under a lease to be heard at a commission meeting.