S.B. 997 - Summary

• Allows county governments to enter into public-private partnerships to transfer management and operation of wastewater treatment facilities to private entities or their wholly owned nonprofit management entities for resource recovery services.

• Establishes that counties retain ownership of transferred facility real property through fixed-term leases but transfer operational control, management responsibilities, and authority over wastewater treatment and resource recovery services to private operators.

• Counties remain responsible for pre-transfer liabilities, debt, accounts payable, and post-employment benefits; private entities assume all liabilities arising from facility management and operation after the transfer completion date.

• Transferred facility employees become subject to private sector employment laws rather than public employee statutes and collective bargaining rules; private entities must offer employment to all pre-transfer employees for a specified period.

• Private entities or nonprofit management entities must submit annual audits, financial reports, and performance audits to the legislature and may request county funding for operating costs (capped at original facility appropriation level) and capital expenditures during initial lease years.