| TO: | Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair, Senate Committee on Government Organization |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1808 by Cook (Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Soil and Water Conservation Board.), As Engrossed |
The bill would continue the Soil and Water Conservation Board until September 1, 2023. The bill would require the TSSWCB to maintain information on all complaints and notify the parties about policies for and status of complaints, as well as maintain a central complaint database. The bill would require TSSWCB to establish program goals, evaluation criteria, and monitor the extent to which grantees comply with grant terms and programs achieve their goals. The bill would require TSSWCB to develop and implement a policy to encourage the use of negotiated rule making and appropriate alternative dispute resolution procedures.
The bill would require TSSWCB to prioritize water supply enhancement projects based on a series of criteria for each funding cycle. The bill would require TSSWCB to establish a process to assist project applicants in obtaining a feasibility study and allows TSSWCB, if they so choose, to dedicate cost-share funding towards the feasibility studies. The bill would require TSSWCB to prioritize cost-share applications within areas in a water supply enhancement project. The bill would require TSSWCB to perform follow-up inspections for water supply enhancement cost-share contracts.
Based on information provided by TSSWCB and the Sunset Advisory Commission, it is anticipated that any additional work resulting from the passage of the bill could be reasonably absorbed within current resources.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house; otherwise it would take effect September 1, 2011.
| Source Agencies: | 116 Sunset Advisory Commission, 592 Soil and Water Conservation Board
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, KM, SZ, ZS, AH
|