1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to water; creating Legislative Water Commission; providing 
1.3 	appointments; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 3.
1.5 	BE 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 
1.9 	members appointed as follows:
1.10 	(1) six members of the senate, including three majority party members appointed by 
1.11 	the 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 
1.13 	members appointed by the speaker of the house and three minority party members 
1.14 	appointed by the minority leader.
1.15 	(b) Members serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and continue to serve 
1.16 	until their successors are appointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the 
1.17 	original positions. Vacancies occurring on the commission do not affect the authority of 
1.18 	the remaining members of the Legislative Water Commission to carry out the function 
1.19 	of the commission.
1.20 	(c) The first meeting of the commission shall be convened by the chair of the 
1.21 	Legislative Coordinating Commission. Members shall elect a chair, vice chair, secretary, 
1.22 	and other officers as determined by the commission. The chair may convene meetings as 
1.23 	necessary to conduct the duties prescribed by this section.
2.1 		Subd. 3.Staff. The Legislative Water Commission may appoint and fix the 
2.2 	compensation of personnel and consultants necessary to enable the commission to carry 
2.3 	out its functions, or to contract for services to supply necessary data subject to the approval 
2.4 	of the Legislative Coordinating Commission under section 3.305.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Powers and duties. (a) The Legislative Water Commission shall review 
2.6 	water policy reports and recommendations of the Environmental Quality Board, the Board 
2.7 	of Water and Soil Resources, the Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural 
2.8 	Resources, and other water-related reports as may be required by law or the legislature.
2.9 	(b) The commission may conduct public hearings and otherwise secure data and 
2.10 	comments.
2.11 	(c) The commission shall make recommendations as it deems proper to assist the 
2.12 	legislature in formulating legislation.
2.13 	(d) Data or information compiled by the Legislative Water Commission or its 
2.14 	subcommittees shall be made available to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on 
2.15 	Minnesota Resources, the Clean Water Council, and standing and interim committees of 
2.16 	the legislature on request of the chair of the respective commission, council, or committee.
2.17 	(e) The commission shall coordinate with the Clean Water Council.
2.18 		Subd. 5.Expiration. This section expires July 1, 2018.

2.19 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.20 	$180,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2014 and $167,000 is 
2.21 	appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2015 to the Legislative Coordinating 
2.22 	Commission for the purposes of this act.