State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, is hoping to changing the way the Lower Colorado River Authority does business. She has authored a set of bills -- HB 585 and HB 635 -- which would submit the LCRA's operations and its board members before the Sunset Advisory Commission.
The commission was created to examine government programs to eliminate waste and inefficiencies. According to it's website, most agencies under review are automatically abolished unless legislation is passed to continue them.
"The LCRA makes some very important decisions for large section of Texas, the overall idea is that there needs to be more accountability," Howard said.
"One of the ideas I've proposed is allow the governor to appoint 5 of the 15-members and then give county courts the authority to appoint the remaining 10 so there is more local accountability," Howard said of changing the structure of the LCRA.
Currently the governor is given the power to appoint all 15-members of the LCRA board.
Howard said this quasi-governmental group needs to have some oversight and governance and the people they serve need to have more of voice.
The bill now awaits a public hearing before the House Committee on Natural Resources.
