Bill > H5219

This bill establishes a drought management task force within the office of the secretary, composed of representatives from various state agencies, including emergency management, agriculture, environmental protection, public health, and water resources, along with representatives from relevant non-profit organizations and citizen advisory committees. This task force will be responsible for collecting and assessing technical information related to drought, facilitating communication among agencies and the public, and providing recommendations to state leadership on drought levels and appropriate responses, including when to declare or end a drought. The bill also mandates the creation and periodic updating of a statewide drought management plan, which will outline methods for assessing drought conditions, preparedness, and response protocols, and will be subject to public review and approval by the Water Resources Commission. The secretary is empowered to declare a drought and implement water conservation measures, such as restrictions on nonessential outdoor water use, based on the task force's recommendations, with these measures applying to all water users in affected regions unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, cities and towns will be required to enforce these conservation restrictions, and the secretary will provide guidance, best practices, and potential financial or technical assistance to support their efforts, with cities and towns designated to have a point of contact for drought-related information.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5219