SRC-MKV S.B. 1697 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1697 By: Barrientos Natural Resources 4/10/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE In1999, the legislature granted the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) the ability to sell 25,000 acre-feet of water to Williamson County. As part of that arrangement, an agricultural water conservation fund to hold revenues derived from a surcharge associated with the sale of that water was created. Currently, an advisory board exists with which the LCRA must consult before spending money from that fund. The three members of that board are from Matagorda, Wharton, and Colorado counties, respectively. Because of any transfer of water from the Colorado River watershed to another watershed impacts all water users with the LCRA's service area, S.B. 1697 provides more regional balance to the advisory committee by including three additional members from Burnet, Llano, and Travis counties. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 27, Chapter 7, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 4th Called Session, 1934 (Article 8280-107, V.T.C.S.), to add language requiring the Lower Colorado River Authority to consult with a six-member advisory committee composed of one member each from Matagorda, Wharton, and Colorado counties, as appointed by the county judges of those counties, to represent agricultural irrigation interests, and one member each from Burnet, Llano, and Travis counties, as appointed by the county judges of those counties, to represent the interests of the Highland Lakes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.