oil-bearing strata was successfully and permanently shut off so as to prevent the percolation or penetration into such oil-bearing strata; such log shall be kept in the local office of the owner or operator, and together with the tour reports of said owner or operator, shall be subject, during business hours, to the inspection of the supervisor, or any of his deputies, or any of the commissioners of the district, except in the case of a prospect well as hereinafter defined. Upon the completion of any well, or upon the suspension of operations upon any well, for a period of six months if it be a prospect well, or for thirty days, if it be in proven territory, a copy of said log in duplicate, and in such form as the supervisor may direct, shall be filed within ten days after such completion, or after the expiration of said thirtyday period, with the field supervisor, and a like copy shall be filed upon the completion of any additional work in the deepening of any such well.

The state oil and gas supervisor shall determine and designate what wells are prospect wells within the meaning of this act and no reports shall be required from such prospect wells until six months after the completion thereof.

The owner or operator of any well drilled previous to the enactment of this act shall furnish to the supervisor or his deputy a complete and correct log in duplicate and in such form as the supervisor may direct, or his deputy, of such well, so far as may be possible, together with a statement of the present condition of said well.

Test of shut-off.

SEC. 19. It shall be the duty of the owner or operator of any well referred to in this act to notify the deputy supervisor of the time at which the owner or operator shall test the shut-off of water in any such well. Such notice shall be given at least five days before such test. The deputy supervisor or an inspector designated by the supervisor shall be present at such test and shall render a report in writing of the result thereof to the supervisor, a duplicate of which shall be delivered to the owner. If any test shall be unsatisfactory to the supervisor he shall so notify the owner or operator in said report and shall within five days after the completion of such test, order additional tests of such work as he deems necessary to properly shut off the water in such well and in such order shall designate a day upon which the owner or operator shall again test the shut-off of water in any such well, which day may, upon the application of the owner, be changed from time to time in the discretion of the deputy supervisor.

Production reports.

SEC. 20. It shall be the duty of every person, association or corporation producing oil in the State of California, to file with the supervisor, at his request but not oftener than once in each month, a statement showing amount of oil produced during the period indicated from each well, together with its gravity and the amount of water produced from each well, estimated in accordance with methods approved by the supervisor, and the number of days during which fluid was produced from each well, the number of wells drilling, producing, idle or abandoned, owned or operated by said person, association or corporation; provided, that, upon request and satisfactory showing a longer interval may be fixed by the state oil and gas supervisor as to such reports in the case of any specific owner or operator.

This information shall be in such form as the supervisor may designate.

Penalty.

SEC. 21. Any owner or operator of a well referred to in this act, or employee thereof, who refuses to permit the supervisor, or his deputy, to inspect the same, or who wilfully hinders or delays the enforcement of this act, and every person, firm, or corporation, who violates any provision of this act, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Police power of the state.

SEC. 21a. The charges hereinafter provided for are directed to be levied by the State of California as necessary in the exercise of its police power and to provide a

means by which to supervise and protect deposits of petroleum and gas within the State of California, in which deposits the people of the State of California are hereby declared to have a primary and supreme interest.

Charges assessed.

SEC. 22. Charges levied, assessed and collected as hereinafter provided upon the properties of every person, firm, corporation or association operating any well or wells for the production of petroleum in this state, or operating any well or wells for the production of natural gas in this state which gas wells are situate on lands situate within two miles, as near as may be, of any petroleum or gas well the production of which is chargeable under this act, shall be used exclusively for the support and maintenance of the department of petroleum and gas hereinbefore created, and shall be assessed and levied by the state mineralogist, and collected in the manner hereinafter provided.

Charges on oil.

SEC. 23. Every person, firm, corporation or association operating any petroleum well or wells in this state shall annually pay a charge to the state treasurer at a uniform rate per barrel of petroleum produced for the preceding calendar year at the time and in the manner hereinafter provided, based upon a verified report as herein provided.

Charges on gas.

SEC. 24. Every person, firm, corporation or association operating any gas well or wells in this state shall annually pay a charge to the state treasurer based upon the amount of gas sold in the preceding calendar year, at a fixed rate per thousand cubic feet, at the times and in the manner hereinafter provided, based upon a verified report as herein provided.

Charges on land.

SEC. 25. Every person, firm, corporation or association owning any oil land, as determined by the supervisor, shall annually pay a charge to the state treasurer at the time and in the manner hereinafter provided, which charge shall be a uniform rate per acre. Said charge shall be based upon a verified report as provided herein; provided, however, that such lands so assessed shall not be called upon to pay more than one-tenth of the total charges or moneys proposed to be assessed, levied and collected under the provisions of this act for any one year.

SEC. 26. The charges assessed, levied and to be collected under the provisions of this act shall be in addition to any and all charges, taxes, assessments or licenses of any kind or nature paid by or upon the properties assessed hereunder.

Annual financial estimate.

SEC. 27. The state mineralogist shall annually, on or before the first Monday in March, acting in conjunction with the state board of control, make an estimate of the amount of moneys which shall be required to carry out the provisions of this act. At the time of making such estimate, the state mineralogist shall report to the state board of control the amount of money in the petroleum and gas fund on the day such estimate is made, less the amount of money necessary for the support of the department of petroleum and gas for the remainder of the fiscal year, and the amount of such estimate shall in no event exceed the difference between the amount thus determined as remaining in the petroleum and gas fund at the end of the fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars.

Annual reports by owners.

SEC. 28. The state mineralogist shall prescribe the form and contents of all reports for making the charge or other purposes to carry out the intent and provision of this act, which form shall be mailed in duplicate to the person, firm, corporation or association owning property or assessed under the provisions of this act.

SEC. 29. Every person, firm, corporation or association chargeable under the provisions of this act, shall within ten days after the first Monday in March of

each year, report to and file with the state mineralogist, a report in such form as said officer may prescribe, giving any and all items of information as may be demanded by said report, and necessary to carry out the provisions of this act, which report shall be verified by such person or officer as the state mineralogist may designate.

SEC. 30. If any person, firm, corporation or association chargeable under the provisions of this act shall fail or refuse to furnish the state mineralogist within the time prescribed in this act the verified report provided for in this act, the state mineralogist must note such failure or refusal in the record of assessments hereinafter in this act provided for, and must make an estimate of the petroleum or gas production, or landed area to be assessed of any such person, firm, corporation or association and must assess the same at the amount thus estimated and compute the charge thereon, which assessment and charge shall be the assessment and charge for such year. And if in the succeeding year any such person, firm, corporation or association shall again fail and refuse to furnish the verified report required by this act, the state mineralogist shall make an estimate as aforesaid, which estimate shall not be less than twice the amount of the estimate made by him for the previous year, and shall note such failure or refusal as above provided, and the said estimate so made shall be the assessment or charge for said year. In case of each succeeding consecutive failure or refusal the said state mineralogist shall follow the same procedure until a true statement or report shall be furnished.

Penalty..

SEC. 31. Any person, firm, corporation or association failing or refusing to make or furnish any report which may be required pursuant to the provisions of this act, or who wilfully renders a false or fraudulent report, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not less than three hundred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment for each such offense.

Extension date filing reports.

SEC. 32. The state mineralogist may, for good cause shown, by order entered upon his minutes, extend for not exceeding thirty days, the time fixed in this act for filing any report herein provided for.

Rate of assessment.

SEC. 33. On or before the third Monday before the first Monday in July of each year, the state mineralogist shall determine the rate or rates which shall produce the sums necessary to be raised as provided in section twenty-seven of this act. Within the same time the said state mineralogist shall extend into the proper column of the record of assessments hereinafter provided for, the amount of charges due from each person, firm, corporation or association.

SEC. 34. Between the first Monday in March and the third Monday before the first Monday in July in each year, the state mineralogist must assess and levy the charges as and in the manner provided for in this act. The assessments must be made to the person, firm, corporation or association owning or operating the property subject to assessment hereunder on the first Monday in March. If the name of the owner is unknown to the state mineralogist, such assessment must be made to unknown owners. Clerical errors occurring or appearing in the name of any person, firm, corporation or association whose property is properly assessed and charged, or in the making, or extension of any assessment or charge upon the records, which do not affect the substantial rights of the payer, shall not invalidate the assessment or charge.

Equalization.

SEC. 35. The state mineralogist and the chairman of the state board of control and the chairman of the state board of equalization shall constitute a board of review, correction and equalization, and shall have all the powers and perform such duties as usually devolve upon a county board of equalization under the provisions

of section three thousand six hundred seventy-two of the Political Code. The state mineralogist shall act as secretary of said board, and shall keep an accurate minute of the proceedings thereof. Said board of review, correction and equalization shall meet at the state capitol on the third Monday before the first Monday in July of each year, and remain in session from day to day until the first Monday in July for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section.

Publication of assessment notice.

SEC. 36. On the third Monday before the first Monday in July of each year the state mineralogist shall cause to be published a notice, one or more times, in a daily, or weekly, or semiweekly newspaper of general circulation published in the counties of Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara, and such other counties as may contain lands or produce oil or gas charged under and pursuant to the terms and provisions of this act, if one be published therein, otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county nearest to such county designated herein in which no such paper is published, that the assessment of property and levy of charges under and in pursuance of this act has been completed and that the records of assessments containing the charges due will be delivered to the state controller on the first Monday in July, and that if any person, firm, corporation or association is dissatisfied with the assessment made or charge fixed by the state mineralogist, he or it may, at any time before said first Monday in July, apply to said board of review, correction and equalization to have the same corrected in any particular. The said board shall have the power at any time before said first Monday in July to correct the record of assessments and may increase or decrease any assessment or charge therein if in its judgment the evidence presented or obtained warrants such action. Costs of such publication in any county shall be paid from the petroleum and gas fund; provided, however, that the omission to publish said notice as herein before and in this section provided, shall not affect the validity of any assessment levied under or pursuant to the provisions of this act.

Record of assessment.

SEC. 37. The state mineralogist must prepare each year a book in one or more volumes, to be called the "Record of assessments and charges for the petroleum and gas fund," in which must be entered, either in writing or printing, or both writing and printing, each assessment and levy or charge made by him upon the property provided to be assessed and charged under this act, describing the property assessed. and such assessments may be classified and entered in such separate parts of said record as said state mineralogist shall prescribe.

SEC. 38. On the first Monday in July the state mineralogist must deliver to the state controller the record of assessments and charges for the petroleum and gas fund, certified to by said state mineralogist, which certificate shall be substantially as follows: "I, state mineralogist, do hereby certify that between the

first Monday in March and the first Monday in July, 19___, I made diligent inquiry and examination to ascertain all property and persons, firms, corporations and associations subject to assessment for the purpose of the petroleum and gas fund as required by the provisions of the act of legislature approved June 10, 1915, providing for the assessment and collection of charges for oil protection; that I have faithfully complied with all the duties imposed upon me by law; that I have not imposed any unjust or double assessment through malice or ill will, or otherwise; nor allowed any person, firm, corporation or association or property to escape a just assessment or charge through favor or regard, or otherwise." But the failure to subscribe such certificate to such record of assessments and charges for oil protection, or any certificate, shall not in any manner affect the validity of any assessment or charge. Payment of charges.

SEC. 39. The charges levied and assessed under the provisions of this act shall be due and payable on the first Monday in July in each year, and one-half thereof shall be delinquent on the sixth Monday after the first Monday in July at six o'clock p.m. and unless paid prior thereto, fifteen per cent shall be added to the amount thereof, and unless paid prior to the first Monday in February next thereafter at

six o'clock p.m., an additional five per cent shall be added to the amount thereof. and the unpaid portion, or the remaining one-half of said charges shall become delinquent on the first Monday in February next succeeding the day upon which they become due and payable, at six o'clock p.m.; and if not paid prior thereto five per cent shall be added to the amount thereof.

Publication of notice of payments due.

SEC. 40. Within ten days after the receipt of the record of assessments and charges for oil protection, the state controller must begin the publication of a notice to appear daily for five days, in one daily newspaper of general circulation published in each of the counties of Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara, and such other counties as may contain lands or produce oil or gas charged under or pursuant to the terms and provisions of this act, if one be published therein, otherwise for at least two times in a weekly or semiweekly paper of general circulation published therein, or if there be neither a daily nor weekly nor semiweekly paper of general circulation published in any one of such counties, then the publication of the notice for such county shall be made in a similar manner in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county nearest such county, specifying: (1) That he has received from the state mineralogist the record of assessments and charges for oil protection; (2) that the charges therein assessed and levied are due and payable on the first Monday in July and that one-half thereof will be delinquent on the sixth Monday after the first Monday in July at six o'clock p.m., and that unless paid to the state treasurer at the capital prior thereto, fifteen per cent will be added to the amount thereof, and unless paid prior to the first Monday in February next thereafter at six o'clock p.m., and additional five per cent will be added to the amount thereof; and that the remaining one-half of said charges will become delinquent on the first Monday in February next succeeding the day upon which they become due and payable, at six o'clock p.m. and if not paid to the state treasurer at the capital prior thereto, five per cent will be added to the amount thereof. Costs of such publication in any county shall be paid from the petroleum and gas fund.

Charges become lien.

SEC. 41. The assessments and charges levied under the provisions of this act shall constitute a lien upon all the property of every kind and nature belonging to the persons, firms, corporations and associations assessed under the provisions hereof, which lien shall attach on the first Monday in March of each year. Such lien shall be enforced and said charges collected by an action by the state controller as provided in section forty-four of this act.

Charges payable to treasurer.

SEC. 42. All charges assessed and levied under the provisions of this act shall be paid to the state treasurer upon the order of the state controller. The controller must mark the date of payment of any charge on the record of assessments for the petroleum and gas fund and shall give a receipt for such payment in such form as the controller may prescribe. Errors appearing upon the face of any assessment on said record of assessments or over charges may be corrected by the controller by and with the consent of the state board of control, in such manner and at such time as said controller and said board shall agree upon.

Protest of charges.

SEC. 43. Any person, firm, corporation or association claiming and protesting as herein provided that the assessment made or charges assessed against him or it by the state mineralogist is void, in whole or in part, may bring an action against the state treasurer for the recovery of the whole or any part of such charges, penalties or costs paid on such assessment, upon the grounds stated in said protest, but no action may be brought later than the third Monday in February next following the day upon which the charges were due, nor unless such person, firm, corporation or association shall have filed with the state controller at the time of payment of such charges, a written protest stating whether the whole assessment or charge is claimed