As Introduced

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
S. B. No. 37


Senators Gentile, Hite 

Cosponsors: Senators Cafaro, Kearney, Manning, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Smith, Turner 



A BILL
To create the Water Access To Every Residence Task 1
Force.2


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. (A) There is hereby created the Water Access To 3
Every Residence Task Force consisting of the following fourteen 4
members:5

       (1) A representative of the Department of Health;6

       (2) The Director of the Governor's Office of Appalachia who 7
shall be the chairperson of the Task Force;8

       (3) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by the 9
Speaker of the House of Representatives;10

       (4) A member of the Senate appointed by the President of the 11
Senate;12

       (5) A representative of the County Commissioners Association 13
of Ohio appointed by the Association;14

       (6) A representative of the Ohio Township Association 15
appointed by the Association;16

       (7) A representative of the Ohio Municipal League appointed 17
by the League;18

       (8) A representative of the Ohio Environmental Health 19
Association appointed by the Association;20

       (9) A representative of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation 21
appointed by the Federation;22

       (10) A representative of the Ohio Rural Water Association 23
appointed by the Association;24

       (11) A representative of the Ohio Small Communities 25
Environmental Infrastructure Group appointed by the Governor;26

       (12) A representative of the Ohio Rural Community Assistance 27
Program appointed by the Governor;28

       (13) A representative of the Coalition of Ohio Regional 29
Districts appointed by the Coalition;30

       (14) A representative of the Ohio Section of the American 31
Water Works Association appointed by the Ohio Section.32

       (B) Members of the Task Force shall be appointed not later 33
than fifteen days after the effective date of this section. Not 34
more than seven members of the Task Force shall be members of the 35
same political party. Members of the Task Force shall serve 36
without compensation. 37

       (C) The Task Force shall meet at least once per month. The 38
Development Services Agency shall provide the Task Force with a 39
meeting room and with administrative assistance that the Task 40
Force needs to perform its duties.41

       (D) Serving as a member of the Task Force does not constitute 42
holding a public office or position of employment under the laws 43
of this state and does not constitute grounds for removal of 44
public officers or employees from their offices or positions of 45
employment.46

        (E) The Task Force shall identify residential communities and 47
geographic areas of Ohio in which potable drinking water is not 48
readily accessible. The Task Force shall develop strategies for 49
providing access to potable drinking water, including strategies 50
for financing drinking water projects.51

       (F) Not later than one year after the effective date of this 52
section, the Task Force shall issue a report to the General 53
Assembly of its findings and recommendations regarding strategies 54
for providing access to potable drinking water in Ohio. Upon 55
submission of the report, the Task Force shall cease to exist.56