SLS 14RS-2160 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 78
BY SENATOR CLAITOR
WATER/WATERWAYS. Requests the Louisiana State Law Institute to create a Water
Code Committee.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Louisiana State Law Institute to create a Water Code Committee.2
WHEREAS, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 53 of the 2012 Regular Session of3
the Legislature requested the Louisiana State Law Institute to conduct a study on surface4
water and groundwater law in Louisiana; and5
WHEREAS, on April 4, 2014, the Louisiana State Law Institute submitted its report6
to the Legislature in response to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 53; and7
WHEREAS, such report discusses at length issues, problems, and questions arising8
from the present state of Louisiana law concerning surface water and groundwater, and9
concludes by stating:10
"The time has come for water law reform in Louisiana. It is recommended that a11
Louisiana State Law Institute Water Code Committee be created and invested with12
the responsibility of continuing to study Louisiana's current treatment of running13
surface water and groundwater, with a view towards the development of a14
comprehensive Water Code that integrates all of Louisiana's water resources.15
The Louisiana State Law Institute recommends that the proposed Water Code16
Committee be an interdisciplinary committee, composed of academicians,17
practitioners, scientists with expertise in hydrology, and government representatives18
with expertise in Louisiana's water resources and the state's existing administrative19
system of water management.20
Current Louisiana law provides insufficient guidance on the rules that govern21
the nature and scope of riparian and groundwater rights. Louisiana needs a Water22
Code that integrates all of its water resources, a Water Code that will enable23
Louisiana to successfully manage and conserve its water resources as it prepares to24
face the inevitable challenges that lie ahead. Therefore, it is recommended that the25 SCR NO. 78
SLS 14RS-2160 ORIGINAL
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legislature implement the foregoing recommendations and that it entrust this1
important project to the Louisiana State Law Institute." 2
3
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, in accordance with the above4
recommendation, the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana5
State Law Institute to create a Water Code Committee in order to develop proposed6
legislation establishing a comprehensive Water Code that integrates all of Louisiana's water7
resources.8
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such Water Code Committee shall be an9
interdisciplinary committee and shall include academicians, practitioners, landowners,10
scientists with expertise in hydrology, and government representatives with expertise in11
Louisiana's water resources and the state's existing administrative system of water12
management.13
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such Water Code Committee shall provide14
annual reports to the Legislature not later than February first of each year indicating its status15
in developing a comprehensive Water Code for Louisiana, and including as appropriate16
specific recommendations in the form of proposed legislation to achieve establishment of17
a comprehensive Water Code that integrates all of Louisiana's water resources.18
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted19
to the director of the Louisiana State Law Institute.20
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry G. Jones.
DIGEST
Claitor SCR No. 78
Requests the Louisiana State Law Institute to create a Water Code Committee.