SB2406

Board membership and leadership: The nine governor-appointed, Senate-confirmed directors now have staggered four-year rather than six-year terms. Four must reside in the listed upper-basin counties, four in the listed lower-basin counties, and one anywhere in a county wholly or partly within the watershed. The existing freehold-property-taxpayer and legal-voter qualifications remain. The governor, rather than the board, designates the president, who serves in that role at the governor’s pleasure. Other board offices remain elected by directors. Incumbents generally continue until successors qualify, but the three directors whose terms would have ended July 6, 2031, must draw lots at the first meeting after the effective date: two terms end July 6, 2029, and one ends July 6, 2027. Final law, sections 2, 3 and 7.

Accountability and training: New grounds for removing a director include lacking or losing required qualifications, violating the existing local-official conflict-of-interest law, inability to perform duties for a substantial part of the term because of illness or disability, and missing more than half of eligible regularly scheduled meetings in a year without the required board excuse. These are grounds for removal, not automatic removal upon an allegation. Potential grounds known to the manager must be reported through the prescribed board officer to the governor and attorney general. The new provision says a removal ground alone does not invalidate board action; it does not erase the separate conflict-of-interest statute. Directors must complete training before voting, deliberating or counting as attending, with a transition allowing existing members to participate until December 1, 2025. An annual manual and signed acknowledgment are also required. Final law, sections 4 and 8; Existing conflict disclosure and abstention rule; Existing effect of a conflict violation.

Public access and management: The authority must maintain a complaint-handling system and records, explain its procedures, and periodically update complaint parties unless notice would jeopardize an investigation. The board must provide a reasonable opportunity to appear and speak about matters within its jurisdiction. Employing a manager changes from optional to mandatory; written policies must separate board policy-making from staff management. These requirements do not guarantee a particular outcome on a complaint or give a speaker power to direct the authority. Final law, sections 4–6.

Changes during passage: The introduced, Senate committee, Senate-passed and House committee operative texts matched. The sole indexed floor amendment, adopted in the House, added the four-year terms, upper/lower-basin residency allocation and incumbent-term transition. Those provisions survived Senate concurrence into the final law; the other governance changes were already in the introduced bill. Introduced; Senate committee; Senate-passed; House committee; Amendment index; Adopted House amendment.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Residents and water users gain specified complaint-status and public-speaking procedures; directors face training and accountability requirements, and the governor gains control over who serves as board president. Regional residency rules distribute seats between the upper and lower basin rather than guaranteeing any particular county a seat. The latest fiscal note anticipates no significant state or local fiscal implication and assumes costs can be absorbed with existing resources. That forecast is not proof of zero administrative cost, improved water service or lower rates. This review does not verify actual board appointments, training completion or implementation of the required policies. Latest posted fiscal note; Final law.