Lavaca-Navidad River Authority

Final Results of Last Sunset Review

Sunset Review

• Amend the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority’s (LNRA) Sunset review date to 2035.

Governance

• Apply standard across-the-board requirements regarding the appointment of a presiding officer, board member training, board member removal, separation of board and staff duties, public testimony, and complaints to the authority.
• Amend LNRA’s board member terms to four years to comply with constitutional requirements.
• Direct LNRA to develop and implement a reserve fund balance policy. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• Direct the Texas Legislative Council to update LNRA’s governing law. (Management action — nonstatutory)

Grant Program

• Direct LNRA to establish policies requiring conflicted members of its grant review committee, staff, and the board to recuse themselves from the grant award process. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• Direct LNRA to establish and document in writing the goals, terms, and conditions for partnership grants. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• Direct LNRA to establish policies and procedures for formally monitoring grant awardees. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• Direct LNRA to develop policies to consider the past performance of grantees before awarding future grants. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• Direct LNRA to create and publish policies and procedures governing the service grant and publicly post information about the grant. (Management action — nonstatutory)

River Authority Uniformity 

• Direct Sunset staff to study administrative operations and structure across all Texas river authorities during the 2024-25 review cycle and make recommendations to the 89th Legislature regarding options to create uniformity across all river authorities that ensure each authority effectively represents its geographic river basin while also maintaining efficient administrative operations. This study would be based on past Sunset river authority reviews and is not expected to involve Sunset having to request new documents from river authorities. (Management action — nonstatutory)