To create the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact Task Force for the purpose of determining whether Ohio should enter into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.

Section 1. (A) There is hereby created the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact Task Force consisting of both voting and nonvoting members.

(B) The voting members of the Task Force shall consist of the following:

(1) Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, two of whom shall be from the minority party. In appointing members from the minority party, the President of the Senate shall consult with the Minority Leader of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall designate one member of the Senate who has been appointed to the Task Force as co-chairperson of the Task Force.

(2) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two of whom shall be from the minority party. In appointing members from the minority party, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall consult with the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one member of the House of Representatives who has been appointed to the Task Force as co-chairperson of the Task Force.

(C) The nonvoting members of the Task force shall consist of all of the following:

(1) The Director of Natural Resources or the Director's designee;

(2) The Director of Environmental Protection or the Director's designee;

(3) The Director of Development or the Director's designee;

(4) The following members appointed by the Governor:

(a) One representative of a statewide environmental advocacy organization;

(b) One representative of a local environmental advocacy organization in the Lake Erie Basin;

(c) One representative of a local government in the Lake Erie Basin.

(5) The following members appointed by the President of the Senate:

(a) One representative of the bottled water industry;

(b) One representative of a private property rights advocacy organization located within the Lake Erie Basin;

(c) One representative of agricultural interests in the Lake Erie Basin;

(d) One representative of the aggregates industry;

(e) One representative of the pulp and paper industry;

(f) One representative of a large manufacturer with a facility located within the Lake Erie Basin;

(g) One member of the public.

(6) The following members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

(a) One representative of a municipal government in the Lake Erie Basin;

(b) One expert in hydrogeology from the faculty or staff of an Ohio college or university;

(c) One representative of a locally based organization in the Lake Erie Basin that assists in the development and implementation of a plan for the protection and management of surface and ground water resources in a watershed;

(d) One representative of residential developers;

(e) One representative of the chemical industry;

(f) One representative of the petroleum industry with a facility located within the Lake Erie Basin;

(g) One attorney who has demonstrated excellence in contract law and who has experience in multi-state compacts.

(D) All appointments shall be made to the Task Force not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. The Task Force shall meet on a regular basis. Vacancies on the Task Force shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments. Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for serving on the Task Force. All meetings of the Task Force shall be open to the public.

(E) The Legislative Service Commission shall provide staffing and technical assistance to the Task Force.

(F) The Task Force shall conduct hearings and take testimony from the public and from persons with expertise in matters before the Task Force regarding the propriety of Ohio's entering into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. In making that determination, the Task Force shall consider all of the following:

(1) The feasibility of making changes to the Compact;

(2) The effectiveness of any intent language that the General Assembly may include with the enactment of the Compact or in enabling legislation;

(3) The impact of the Compact on private property rights, including, but not limited to, rights to use ground water;

(4) Whether the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution will necessitate the expansion of the application of the standards and requirements established under the Compact beyond the Lake Erie Basin to the entire state of Ohio;

(5) The potential impact that the Compact will have on business and economic development in Ohio;

(6) Whether the primary goals of the Compact may be accomplished by means other than the Compact;

(7) Whether any effort to enter into the Compact should be contingent on the Compact's becoming effective within a certain time period;

(8) The ability of Congress to alter interstate compacts; and

(9) Whether any necessary enabling legislation should be enacted prior to, concurrently with, or after the ratification of the Compact.

(G) The Task Force shall issue a report of its findings and make recommendations to the General Assembly not later than October 31, 2007. Upon the issuance of the report and recommendations, the Task Force shall cease to exist.