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Senate Bill 627 |
Senate Author: Birdwell et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-19 |
House Sponsor: Nevárez |
Senate Bill 627 amends the law to revise and update the governing provisions of the Red River Authority of Texas, following Sunset Advisory Commission recommendations. The bill establishes that the authority is governed by and subject to certain Water Code provisions relating to water districts and navigation districts.
Among other provisions and in addition to including across‑the‑board sunset provisions, Senate Bill 627 replaces the requirement that the authority's directors elect a director as board president with a requirement that the governor designate a director as board president to serve in that capacity at the governor's pleasure, provides for an increase in director fees of office, and prohibits a director from being employed as the authority's general manager. The bill requires the authority to adopt an asset management plan and requires the board to establish a process to ensure that, before the authority makes a significant change to a rate or charge for the sale and use of water, affected persons are provided notice of the proposed change and an opportunity to provide to the board comments regarding the proposed change. The bill requires the authority to notify affected persons of their right to appeal changes to rates. The bill requires the state auditor to conduct an audit of the authority to evaluate whether the authority has addressed the operational challenges identified in the Sunset Advisory Commission report on the authority presented to the 86th Legislature. The bill repeals a provision that prohibits an authority director, engineer, or employee from being interested in a contract for the purchase of materials or construction of work by the authority and provides for a related misdemeanor.