| New Rules for Water Management Districts? |
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee also considered provisions of SB 7002, Water Management Districts (its committee bill), which would make wide-ranging changes in the state’s water management districts to improve transparency and to encourage districts to refocus on their core mission.
What Would Happen?
The bill would amend laws about water management district funding, budgeting, and business practices. Recent hurricanes caused significant inland flooding in areas not typically impacted by flood waters — an increasingly frequent reminder of the need to prioritize stormwater and flood control efforts across our communities.
- The bill authorizes the districts to levy ad valorem taxes by referendum (a citizen vote) to finance the construction of capital improvement projects related to water supply, water quality, flood protection, floodplain management, and natural systems.
- The bill would also create a revolving loan fund for districts to help pay for flooding and sea-level rise resiliency projects.
Why is Audubon Concerned?
The bill expands the authority of the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which is made up of House and Senate members, to reject parts of district budget proposals. Guardrails are needed so projects that have already started construction or are in advanced planning stages are not rejected by the Commission.
SB 7002 will be a priority for Audubon policy staff this legislative session as we work with the bill sponsor, Senate, and House staff to avoid unintended consequences and insert more clarity into the provisions. |
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