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.