87R5545 SGM-D
 
  By: Paddie H.B. No. 1570
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Brazos River Authority, following recommendations
  of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the
  removal of a member of the board of directors.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 8502, Special District Local Laws Code,
  is amended by adding Sections 8502.0091, 8502.0092, 8502.0093,
  8502.0094, and 8502.0095 to read as follows:
         Sec. 8502.0091.  GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. (a) It
  is a ground for removal from the board that a director:
               (1)  does not have at the time of taking office the
  qualifications required by Section 8502.009;
               (2)  does not maintain during service on the board the
  qualifications required by Section 8502.009;
               (3)  is ineligible for directorship under Chapter 171,
  Local Government Code;
               (4)  cannot, because of illness or disability,
  discharge the director's duties for a substantial part of the
  director's term; or
               (5)  is absent from more than half of the regularly
  scheduled board meetings that the director is eligible to attend
  during a calendar year without an excuse approved by a majority vote
  of the board.
         (b)  The validity of an action of the board is not affected by
  the fact that it is taken when a ground for removal of a director
  exists.
         (c)  If the general manager has knowledge that a potential
  ground for removal exists, the general manager shall notify the
  presiding officer of the board of the potential ground.  The
  presiding officer shall then notify the governor and the attorney
  general that a potential ground for removal exists.  If the
  potential ground for removal involves the presiding officer, the
  general manager shall notify the next highest ranking director, who
  shall then notify the governor and the attorney general that a
  potential ground for removal exists.
         Sec. 8502.0092.  DIRECTOR TRAINING. (a) A person who is
  appointed to and qualifies for office as a director may not vote,
  deliberate, or be counted as a director in attendance at a board
  meeting until the person completes a training program that complies
  with this section.
         (b)  The training program must provide the person with
  information regarding:
               (1)  the law governing authority operations;
               (2)  the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
  authority;
               (3)  the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
  authority of the authority;
               (4)  the results of the most recent formal audit of the
  authority;
               (5)  the requirements of:
                     (A)  laws relating to open meetings, public
  information, administrative procedure, and disclosure of conflicts
  of interest; and
                     (B)  other laws applicable to members of the
  governing body of a river authority in performing their duties; and
               (6)  any applicable ethics policies adopted by the
  authority or the Texas Ethics Commission.
         (c)  A person appointed to the board is entitled to
  reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred in attending the
  training program regardless of whether the attendance at the
  program occurs before or after the person qualifies for office.
         (d)  The general manager of the authority shall create a
  training manual that includes the information required by
  Subsection (b). The general manager shall distribute a copy of the
  training manual annually to each director. Each director shall
  sign and submit to the general manager a statement acknowledging
  that the director received and has reviewed the training manual.
         Sec. 8502.0093.  POLICIES TO SEPARATE POLICY-MAKING AND
  STAFF FUNCTIONS. The board shall develop and implement policies
  that clearly separate the policy-making responsibilities of the
  board and the management responsibilities of the general manager
  and the staff of the authority.
         Sec. 8502.0094.  COMPLAINTS. (a) The authority shall
  maintain a system to promptly and efficiently act on complaints
  filed with the authority. The authority shall maintain information
  about parties to the complaint, the subject matter of the
  complaint, a summary of the results of the review or investigation
  of the complaint, and its disposition.
         (b)  The authority shall make information describing its
  procedures for complaint investigation and resolution available to
  the public.
         (c)  The authority shall periodically notify the complaint
  parties of the status of the complaint until final disposition
  unless the notice would jeopardize an investigation.
         Sec. 8502.0095.  PUBLIC TESTIMONY. The board shall develop
  and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable
  opportunity to appear before the board and to speak on any issue
  under the jurisdiction of the authority.
         SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding Section 8502.0092, Special
  District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act, a person serving on
  the board of directors of the Brazos River Authority may vote,
  deliberate, and be counted as a director in attendance at a meeting
  of the board until December 1, 2021.
         SECTION 3.  (a) The legal notice of the intention to
  introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
  Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
  copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
  officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
  under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
  Government Code.
         (b)  The governor, one of the required recipients, has
  submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
         (c)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
  its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives within the required time.
         (d)  All requirements of the constitution and 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.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.