The bill amends the Watershed District Act to change the method of appointing the boards of directors for watershed districts from an election process to an appointment process by the board of supervisors of the relevant soil and water conservation district. Specifically, it establishes that a watershed district will be governed by a board of directors appointed by the board of supervisors, consisting of five directors, with the stipulation that one director should ideally be a current or former elected director of the watershed district. The initial appointments will include two members serving two-year terms and three members serving four-year terms, with subsequent appointments for four-year terms.

Additionally, the bill allows for minority jurisdiction districts, which are soil and water conservation districts with a minority of land in a watershed district, to appoint three additional directors. The appointments for these additional directors will also include a mix of two- and four-year terms. The bill outlines the responsibilities of the board of directors, including the annual election of a chair, secretary, and treasurer, and mandates the preparation of reports for the department of finance and administration. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 73-20-2, 73-20-12
Final Version: 73-20-2, 73-20-12