HBA-BSM H.B. 372 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 372
By: Gallego
Natural Resources
2/15/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, voting eligibility in the Maverick County Water Control
and Improvement District No.1 is based on whether a person lives within the
district, or whether the person lives within the district and city limits.
If a person lives within the city limits, the person is prohibited from
voting in a district election, although the person may have irrigated land
within the district and must pay taxes to the district.  Moreover, another
individual may live within the district and may not own irrigated land
within district boundaries, but does have 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 (district).
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.