BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2041
86R7711 TSR-D	By: Buckingham
	Water & Rural Affairs
	4/22/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Elm Creek Watershed Authority is a water entity in Bell County that has mostly worked with flood prevention and management with Belton and Stillhouse Lakes. Elm Creek is a government entity and must resort to legislation to change bylaws.

S.B. 2041 would change the Elm Creek Watershed Authority's board elections to staggered, four‑year terms. Elections would be held each odd-numbered year. The bill also removes specific names of the board members from legislation.

As proposed, S.B. 2041 amends current law relating to the terms and election of the members of the board of directors of the Elm Creek Watershed Authority.

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 14, Chapter 273, Acts of the 55th Legislature, Regular Session, 1957, as follows:

Sec. 14. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text. Provides that the Board of Directors of the Elm Creek Watershed Authority (board; authority) is composed of eight persons who serve staggered, four-year terms, rather than requiring the board to be comprised of eight persons.

(b) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires an election for directors to be held on the uniform election date in November of each odd-numbered year, rather than requiring an election for directors to be hold on the second Tuesday in January of each year and as herein provided. Deletes existing text requiring certain persons, immediately after this Act becomes effective, to be the directors of the authority and to constitute the board. Deletes existing text requiring the board herein appointed to serve until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. Deletes existing text requiring the first four specified directors to serve until the second Tuesday in January, 1958, and the following four specified directors to serve until the second Tuesday in January, 1959. Deletes existing texting requiring four directors to be elected in each even-numbered year and four in each odd-numbered year.

(c) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.

SECTION 2.� (a) Requires a director of the authority elected in May 2019 to serve until the director's successor has qualified following the directors' election held on the uniform election date in November 2023. Provides that a director elected on the uniform election date in November 2023 serves a four-year term.

(b) Requires a director of the authority elected in 2018 to serve until the director's successor has qualified following the directors' election held on the uniform election date in November 2021. Provides that a director elected to succeed that director serves a four‑year term.

(c) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2024.

SECTION 3. Provides that all requirements of the constitution and the laws of this state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled and accomplished.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.