House restores original language to water‑operator emergency bill; House Bill 22 passes

The House on Jan. 27 adopted a floor amendment that restored House Bill 22 to its original form and then passed the bill on final passage.

Representative Alisa Campbell, the bill sponsor, moved third‑reading amendment number 1 to delete the earlier floor changes and return the statute to language that aligns state requirements with the federal America Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. “This amendment truly just deletes everything and goes back to the original form because the original bill as submitted is just aligning state statute with the existing Federal American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018,” Campbell said.

Supporters argued that municipal water and wastewater operators should be included in emergency and homeland security planning. Representative Larson Lloyd said the amendment would ensure that “the people that oversee the management of your wastewater systems and your drinking water systems are included in the plan, and how to respond.” Representative Connolly, who said she has more than 20 years drafting emergency operations plans, added that local water operators “need to be involved a 100%.”

Members approved the amendment by voice vote. The House then passed House Bill 22 on a roll‑call vote, the Clerk recording 61 ayes and one member excused.

The measure’s sponsor told the body the original bill’s purpose was to align state statute with federal law and to ensure operators are incorporated into response plans, particularly when incidents could affect upstream drinking water or wastewater sources.

Action recorded in the transcript shows the amendment was adopted and the bill received final passage during the Jan. 27 session.