Bill > SB272

This bill amends Alabama law to modify the powers and responsibilities of boards of water and sewer commissions by making several technical language changes to existing statutes and adding a critical new provision. The bill clarifies and modernizes the language describing the boards' existing powers, such as adopting bylaws, maintaining offices, issuing bonds, and setting rates, while primarily introducing a significant new subsection that explicitly prohibits these boards from restricting public recreational uses of water bodies under their control. Specifically, the new subsection (c) mandates that boards cannot limit public access to water bodies they own or control, ensuring that these areas remain open for recreational activities like fishing and boating. The changes are relatively straightforward, primarily aimed at ensuring transparency and public access to water resources. The bill will go into effect on October 1, 2025, giving water and sewer commissions ample time to prepare for the new restrictions on their ability to limit public use of water bodies.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

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