House Engrossed

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fourth Legislature First Regular Session 2019

HOUSE BILL 2467

 

AN ACT

 

establishing the Mohave county and La Paz county west basin water users study committee.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Mohave county west basin water users study committee; La Paz county west basin water users study committee; membership; duties; report; delayed repeal

A.  The Mohave county west basin water users study committee and the La Paz county west basin water users study committee are established, each consisting of eleven members.  Ten members of the Mohave county west basin water users study committee are appointed to represent the users of groundwater in the Hualapai Valley basin and the Sacramento Valley basin.  Ten members of the La Paz county west basin water users study committee are appointed to represent the users of groundwater in the Renegras Plain basin, the McMullen Valley basin and the Butler Valley basin.  The state land commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall serve as a nonvoting advisory member on each study committee.

B.  The members shall be appointed on the basis of their knowledge of, interest in and experience with the development, use and conservation of water and must reside or own property in the prescribed county.  The members of each study committee shall be appointed as follows:

1.  Two persons who are actively engaged in animal or plant production in the respective county as that person's main source of income.  The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall each appoint one person from the county.

2.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one county supervisor from Mohave county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one county supervisor from La Paz county who is appointed by the president of the senate.

3.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one city or town council member or the mayor of a city or town that is located in Mohave county who is appointed by the president of the senate.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one city or town council member or the mayor of a city or town that is located in La Paz county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

4.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents industrial water users in Mohave county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents industrial water users in La Paz county who is appointed by the president of the senate.

5.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents a natural resource conservation district that is located in Mohave county who is appointed by the president of the senate.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents a natural resource conservation district that is located in La Paz county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

6.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents mining water users in Mohave county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one person who represents mining water users in La Paz county who is appointed by the president of the senate.

7.  For the Mohave county west basin water users study committee, one member of the public who owns three or more water wells in Mohave county who is appointed by the president of the senate.  For the La Paz county west basin water users study committee, one member of the public who owns three or more water wells in La Paz county who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

8.  One member of the house of representatives who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who represents a legislative district that contains one or more of the basins prescribed in subsection A of this section in the respective county and who shall serve as cochairperson.

9.  One member of the senate who is appointed by the president of the senate, who represents a legislative district that contains one or more of the basins prescribed in subsection A of this section in the respective county and who shall serve as cochairperson.

C.  Each study committee shall:

1.  Receive and analyze all groundwater withdrawal data developed by the department of water resources.

2.  Make recommendations to the director of water resources, including recommendations on programs and policies for the basins prescribed in subsection A of this section.

3.  Review and make recommendations to the director of water resources regarding the independent consultant's report required pursuant to Laws 2018, chapter 280, section 8 in which the independent consultant estimates the rate of groundwater depletion in the northwest basins planning area and estimates the number of years of groundwater that remains in the basins.

4. Submit a report of its recommendations to the director of water resources, the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate on or before December 31, 2021 and provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.

D.  Members of the study committees are not eligible to receive compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses.

E.  This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2022.