HBA-SEP H.B. 1909 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1909
By: Junell
Natural Resources
77/18/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Lipan-Kickapoo Water Conservation District (district) was created in
1987 in response to concerns of area residents about the potential
contamination of groundwater from leaking oil and gas wells.  At the time
that the district was created, it only covered part of the Lipan Aquifer in
the southern part of Tom Green County.  The district would like to annex
the remainder of the Lipan Aquifer in Tom Green, Concho, and Runnels
counties to enable the district to manage all the aquifer and recharge
zones.  

Prior to the 77th Legislature, the district was subject to provisions
regarding water control and improvement districts and underground water
conservation districts.  However, many of the provisions governing these
districts were repealed or consolidated into other chapters of the Water
Code in 1995.  House Bill 1909 updates the enabling legislation for the
district to allow it to annex the remainder of the Lipan Aquifer. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1909 amends law to provide that the Lipan-Kickapoo Water
Conservation District (district) is subject to all the powers, duties, and
contractual authority of general law and groundwater conservation
districts.  The bill modifies provisions relating to the composition,
terms, and compensation of the district's board of directors and provides
that the board consists of not fewer than 5 and not more than 11 directors.
EFFECTIVE DATE

June 16, 2001.