BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2332
86R6311 SLB-D	By: Creighton
	Water & Rural Affairs
	4/11/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Surface water in Texas is held by the State in trust for the public and river authorities play a big role in the management of this critical, public resource. Due to the importance of water in the State of Texas, the legislature needs to interact more often with these agencies. S.B. 2332 requires river authorities to provide an update to the legislative committee with jurisdiction over water at the mid-point between the river authorities' sunset review.

As proposed, S.B. 2332 amends current law relating to reporting to the legislature by certain river authorities.

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 Title 5, Water Code, by designating Chapter 152 as Subtitle A and adding a subtitle heading to read as follows:

SUBTITLE A. RIVER AUTHORITIES

SECTION 2. Amends Subtitle A, Title 5, Water Code, as added by this Act, by adding Chapter 150, as follows:

CHAPTER 150. PROVISIONS GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO RIVER AUTHORITIES

Sec. 150.0101. DEFINITIONS. Provides that in this chapter:

(1)  "Committee" means the standing committee of the senate with jurisdiction over water.

(2)  "River authority" means a district created under the authority of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, as a regional water management entity to provide water development and planning services and other services to a river basin or portion of a river basin.

Sec. 150.0102.  REPORT.� (a)� Requires a river authority, in November of the sixth year after the year in which the Sunset Advisory Commission completed the review of a river authority, to deliver a report to the committee that explains changes to the river authority's rules made since the review by the Sunset Advisory Commission and the consequences of those changes. �

(b)  Authorizes the committee to compel testimony by a representative of the river authority regarding the subject of the report in the same way the committee may compel testimony from a representative of a state agency.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.