The proposed bill, General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6224, aims to enhance water supplies and address workforce shortages in the water treatment sector. It mandates the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop a comprehensive plan that includes several key initiatives: improving the dam permitting process by expanding existing general permits, enhancing the preapplication and intake process for better project understanding, prioritizing permit reviews based on dam classification and function, collaborating with water utilities to address liability concerns related to the Department of Transportation's encroachment permit process, and providing incentives to attract and retain qualified water treatment facility operators. The commissioner is required to submit this plan along with any legislative recommendations to the relevant committee by February 1, 2026.

The bill introduces new legal language to facilitate these changes, specifically stating that the plan will be developed "from passage" and designating it as a "new section." It also emphasizes the importance of addressing workforce shortages by adding qualified and certified water treatment operators. The bill does not include any deletions from current law, as indicated by the absence of any proposed deletions in the text. The overall goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water supply management and treatment in the state.