Bakersfield’s Ellis Drops Three-Bill “Keep Producing, Keep Improving” Package

Assembly Member Stan Ellis (R–Bakersfield) introduced a trio of oil-and-gas bills that, taken together, push in the same direction: innovation over slogans, process discipline over bureaucratic drift, and rules based on real-world performance instead of blunt instruments. All three measures were introduced on February 20, 2026, and are now moving through the early committee referral process.

AB 2606: CSU Bakersfield “Demonstration Zone” for Advanced CO₂ EOR

AB 2606 would authorize California State University, Bakersfield, over a 10-year period, to establish a demonstration zone in existing oil fields to test advanced carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO₂-EOR) techniques in partnership with local industry, explicitly aiming for carbon-neutral or net-negative emissions outcomes.

This is a Bakersfield-style answer to a Sacramento problem: prove it works, measure it honestly, then scale what delivers. If California is serious about lowering lifecycle emissions while maintaining affordable energy, pilots like this are exactly where the rubber meets the road.

AB 2711: Notice of Intention (NOI) Reforms: More Time, But “No” Must Mean Something

AB 2711 targets the Notice of Intention (NOI) process at CalGEM. It would extend the state’s response window to 30 working days and require a written explanation if the NOI is denied, while maintaining the basic structure that an operator cannot drill without approval.

Operators can live with timelines, what kills projects is silence, ambiguity, and arbitrary denials. AB 2711 is a procedural accountability bill: if the state denies work, it should have to explain the factual and regulatory basis, in writing, within a defined time period.

AB 2712: Health Protection Zones: Shift to Emissions-Based Standards

AB 2712 is an “intent” bill teeing up follow-on legislation to redefine setback rules for Health Protection Zones to be based on emissions data rather than simple proximity to sensitive receptors.

Why it matters: the current framework is a map-based blunt object: feet on a ruler can outweigh actual emissions and controls. AB 2712 points toward a more defensible standard, which is to measure what’s emitted, regulate what’s emitted, and stop pretending one distance number can substitute for science, engineering controls, and site-specific facts.

Ellis is putting Bakersfield’s priorities on paper: (1) test and validate lower-carbon production tools, (2) force process accountability at CalGEM, and (3) move HPZ policy toward real emissions performance instead of a one-size setback. It’s a serious legislative package, with less theater and more levers that actually move barrels and reduce risk.