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119-hr-8542119th CongressWALLET

Offshore Parity Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]

In Committee

Summary

Expands Gulf state control offshore by letting Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama manage submerged lands and fisheries out to 3 marine leagues if they meet specified conditions within five years. It would transfer leasing and fisheries authority to those states while keeping key federal protections in place.

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  • Gulf states: If they meet six statutory conditions within five years, the three states would gain authority over submerged lands and leasing from 3 geographical miles to 3 marine leagues seaward. This creates a new delegation under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act for those waters.
  • Leaseholders and operators: Existing federal leases remain under current law, but delegated states would grant new leases, receive rentals and royalties, and must indemnify the United States for liabilities; the Secretary must transfer surety bonds to the state within 90 days of delegation.
  • Fisheries and federal safeguards: States would oversee fisheries out to 3 marine leagues, but federal authority stays for highly migratory species, international obligations, national security, and other federal matters.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

State liability, bonds, and decommissioning duties

If enacted, a State that receives delegated leasing authority would get any surety bonds for pre-enactment leases within 90 days after delegation. The State would have to ensure decommissioning of those facilities is carried out under applicable federal law. The State would have to indemnify the United States for takings or breach-of-contract judgments tied to those pre-delegation leases when the liability arises from the delegation or the State's management. The Secretary could deduct any final nonappealable judgment amounts from money otherwise payable to the State; if the Secretary fails to transfer a bond within 90 days, the federal government would remain responsible for decommissioning.

Expanded state fisheries control for Gulf States

If enacted, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi would manage fisheries out to 3 marine leagues from each State's coast line as that coast line exists the day before enactment. The bill would add definitions and treat those waters as extended State waters. Federal authority would remain for highly migratory species, Endangered Species Act-listed species, fishery resources under international agreements, the exclusive economic zone beyond extended State waters, and actions tied to national security or international obligations.

State control of offshore leases and revenue

If enacted, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi would be able to ask the Interior Secretary to delegate offshore leasing authority for waters between 3 geographical miles and 3 marine leagues from their coast line. A State would have to send a written request within five years and the Secretary would have to find the State has enough resources and will follow rules. The delegation would cover management of federal leases in that zone that were granted before enactment. States that get delegation would be able to grant new State leases after enactment and set rents, royalties, and other fees for those State leases; some federal minimum bid, royalty, and review rules would not apply to those State-granted leases.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]

MS • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

  • Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

  • Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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