HBA-JEK, LJP H.B. 2014 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2014
By: Shields
Natural Resources
4/4/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Texas faces a difficult challenge in developing water policies that serve
both state and regional interests. The Texas Constitution authorizes the
creation of groundwater conservation districts to plan, develop, and
regulate the use of water.  House Bill 2014 creates the Southern Trinity
Groundwater Conservation District, subject to approval at a confirmation
election, to manage Bexar County's Trinity aquifer groundwater resources. 

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 2014 creates the Southern Trinity Groundwater Conservation
District (district), subject to voter approval at a confirmation election,
and sets forth the district's boundaries (SECTIONS 1, 3, and 4). 

The bill provides that the district is governed by a board of directors,
one from each of the five singlemember voting districts, and sets forth
provisions regarding the composition and administration of the board and
the election, qualifications, and terms of the directors.  The bill sets
forth provisions regarding an election to confirm the establishment of the
district (SECTIONS 7-11). 

The bill sets forth provisions relating to fees on each nonexempt well in
the district, liens attached to a property with a well to secure a fee, and
the use of fees as a regulatory mechanism or a revenue-producing mechanism.
The bill prohibits the board of directors from levying or collecting an ad
valorem tax.  The bill sets forth required and authorized expenditures of
the collected fees and authorizes the district to spend fees on the
required expenditures independently or in conjunction with other natural
resource programs in the district.  The bill requires the board of
directors to adopt rules regarding the fee rates, the manner and form for
filing reports of fees, and the manner of collecting fees (SECTIONS 12 and
13). 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.