HF 683

2nd Unofficial Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 04/29/2014 09:45am

1.1A bill for an act

1.2relating to water; creating Legislative Water Commission; providing
1.3appointments; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
1.4Statutes, chapter 3.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6    Section 1. [3.886] LEGISLATIVE WATER COMMISSION.
1.7    Subdivision 1. Establishment. A Legislative Water Commission is established.
1.8    Subd. 2. Membership. (a) The Legislative Water Commission consists of 12
1.9members appointed as follows:
1.10(1) six members of the senate, including three majority party members appointed by
1.11the majority leader and three minority party members appointed by the minority leader; and
1.12(2) six members of the house of representatives, including three majority party
1.13members appointed by the speaker of the house and three minority party members
1.14appointed by the minority leader.
1.15(b) Members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and continue to serve
1.16until their successors are appointed or until a member is no longer a member of the
1.17legislative body that appointed the member to the commission. Vacancies shall be filled in
1.18the same manner as the original positions. Vacancies occurring on the commission do not
1.19affect the authority of the remaining members of the Legislative Water Commission to
1.20carry out the function of the commission.
1.21(c) Members shall elect a chair, vice chair, and other officers as determined by
1.22the commission. The chair may convene meetings as necessary to conduct the duties
1.23prescribed by this section.
2.1    Subd. 3. Commission staffing. The Legislative Coordinating Commission must
2.2employ staff and contract with consultants as necessary to enable the Legislative Water
2.3Commission to carry out its duties and functions.
2.4    Subd. 4. Powers and duties. (a) The Legislative Water Commission shall review
2.5water policy reports and recommendations of the Environmental Quality Board, the Board
2.6of Water and Soil Resources, the Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural
2.7Resources, and other water-related reports as may be required by law or the legislature.
2.8(b) The commission may conduct public hearings and otherwise secure data and
2.9comments.
2.10(c) The commission shall make recommendations as it deems proper to assist the
2.11legislature in formulating legislation.
2.12(d) Data or information compiled by the Legislative Water Commission or its
2.13subcommittees shall be made available to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on
2.14Minnesota Resources, the Clean Water Council, and standing and interim committees of
2.15the legislature on request of the chair of the respective commission, council, or committee.
2.16(e) The commission shall coordinate with the Clean Water Council.
2.17    Subd. 5. Compensation. Members may receive per diem under section 3.099 for
2.18attending commission meetings, and may be reimbursed for expenses incurred doing
2.19the work of the commission, but shall not receive any other compensation for serving
2.20on the commission.
2.21    Subd. 6. Expiration. This section expires July 1, 2019.

2.22    Sec. 2. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS AND MEETING.
2.23Initial appointments must be made by September 1, 2014. The first meeting of
2.24the Legislative Water Commission shall be convened by the chair or a designee of the
2.25Legislative Coordinating Commission by October 15, 2014. The Legislative Water
2.26Commission shall select a chair from among its members at its first meeting.

2.27    Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
2.28$155,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2015 to the Legislative
2.29Coordinating Commission for the purposes of this act. $145,000 each fiscal year is added
2.30to the base through fiscal year 2019.