BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1163
80R7176 SGA-F By: Estes
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Brazos River Authority (authority) was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. The authority has 250 staff persons who develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. The authority is governed by a board that consists of 21 members appointed by the governor.
As proposed, S.B. 1163 decreases the number of members of the authority's governing board from 21 to nine. The bill also sets forth those counties included in the upper, central, and lower basins used by the authority.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 221.002, Water Code, by adding Subdivisions (4), (5), and (6) to define "upper basin," "central basin," and "lower basin."
SECTION 2. Amends Section 221.009, Water Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (f-1), as follows:
(a) Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (f), the board of directors of the Brazos River Authority consists of nine, rather than 21, members. Provides that the terms of three, rather than seven, members of the board expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
(d) Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (f), five, rather than eleven, members of the board constitute a quorum to transact business.
(f) Provides for the gradual and orderly reduction in the number of directors serving on the board from 21 in 2007 to nine in 2013. Requires a director serving on the board on September 1, 2007, to continue to serve for the director's unexpired term. Provides that during the transition from 21 to nine directors, a majority of the total number of members of the board constitutes a quorum to transact business. Requires the governor on, or as soon as possible after, certain dates to appoint only a certain number of members for certain terms to replace the directors whose terms expire on certain dates.
(f-1) Provides that Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1, 2013.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.