1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; establishing the Legislative Commission on 
1.3 	Minnesota Water Governance and Policy;proposing coding for new law in 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [3.886] LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON MINNESOTA WATER 
1.7 	GOVERNANCE AND POLICY.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A Legislative Commission on Minnesota Water 
1.9 	Governance and Policy is established.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Membership. (a) The Legislative Commission on Minnesota Water 
1.11 	Governance and Policy shall consist of ten members appointed as follows:
1.12 	(1) five members of the senate to be appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees 
1.13 	of the Committee on Rules and Administration and to serve until their successors are 
1.14 	appointed; and
1.15 	(2) five members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker and 
1.16 	to serve until their successors are appointed.
1.17 	(b) Vacancies occurring on the commission shall not affect the authority of the 
1.18 	remaining members of the commission to carry out the function of the commission. 
1.19 	Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original positions.
1.20 		Subd. 3.Staff. Staff from the house of representatives, senate, and Legislative 
1.21 	Coordinating Commission shall assist the commission in carrying out its duties.
1.22 		Subd. 4.Powers and duties. (a) The Legislative Commission on Minnesota Water 
1.23 	Governance and Policy shall examine the water related activities of the Pollution Control 
1.24 	Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, the Board of Water and Soil Resources, 
2.1 	the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Quality Board, and the Metropolitan 
2.2 	Council for the purpose of determining in what areas the interagency management of 
2.3 	Minnesota's ground and surface waters is working well, and in what areas it is working 
2.4 	poorly. The commission shall examine whether Minnesota's water quality has improved 
2.5 	under the oversight of these agencies, and whether the investments Minnesotans have 
2.6 	made in water protection are providing an adequate return on investment. The commission 
2.7 	shall examine alternative management structures which may cost less or do a better job of 
2.8 	protecting water quality in Minnesota or both. The commission shall examine whether 
2.9 	duplication or inconsistency exists under the current interagency water management 
2.10 	structure.
2.11 	(b) The commission may conduct public hearings and otherwise secure data and 
2.12 	expressions of opinion. The commission shall make recommendations to the legislative 
2.13 	committees with jurisdiction over water policy and finance as it deems proper to assist 
2.14 	the legislature in formulating legislation. Any data or information compiled by the 
2.15 	commission shall be made available to any committee of the legislature upon request 
2.16 	of the chair of the respective committee.