HBA-BSM H.B. 372 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 372 By: Gallego Natural Resources 7/19/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, voting eligibility in the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No.1 was based on whether a person lived within the district, or whether the person lived within the district and city limits. If a person lived within the city limits, the person was prohibited from voting in a district election, although the person may have owned irrigated land within the district and would have paid taxes to the district. Moreover, another individual may have lived within the district and may not have owned irrigated land within district boundaries, but had the ability to vote in district elections. House Bill 372 sets forth eligibility criteria for persons to vote in the district elections. 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 372 amends the Water Code concerning the eligibility to vote in the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No.1. A person is eligible to vote in district elections if the person: _is 18 years of age or older; _is a United States citizen; _is an individual who holds title to or an interest in title to irrigable farmland or ranch land within the boundaries of the district; and _receives and uses irrigation water delivered by the district by and through the district's canal system. An eligible voter must register 30 days before the date of a district election to vote in that election. The district is required to file with the county clerk of Maverick County a certified copy of the list of the district's registered voters no later than 25 days before the date of a district election. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.