S.B. No. 1583

AN ACT

relating to management plans adopted by groundwater conservation districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 36.1071, Water Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (b-3) to read as follows:

(b) The management plan, or any amendments to the plan, shall:

(1) be developed using the district's best available data and forwarded to the regional water planning group for use in their planning process; and

(2) include:

(A) the most recently approved desired future conditions adopted under Section 36.108; and

(B) the amount of modeled available groundwater corresponding to the most recently approved desired future conditions.

(b-1) A district shall amend a management plan before the second anniversary of the adoption of desired future conditions included under Subsection (b).

(b-2) If a petition challenging the reasonableness of a desired future condition is filed under Section 36.1083(b) and until the district issues a final order under Section 36.1083(n) or, if the desired future condition is found to be unreasonable in the final order, a new desired future condition is adopted under Section 36.108 or 36.1083 (p), the executive administrator shall consider the management plan administratively complete if the district includes:

(1) the most recently approved desired future conditions adopted under Section 36.108;

(2) the amount of modeled available groundwater corresponding to those desired future conditions;

(3) a statement of the status of the petition challenging the reasonableness of a desired future condition; and

(4) the information required by Subsections (a) and (e).

(b-3) Subsection (b-2) applies until either:

(1) the district issues a final order under Section 36.1083(n); or

(2) if a desired future condition is found to be unreasonable in the final order, a new desired future condition is adopted pursuant to Section 36.108 or 36.1083(p).

SECTION 2. Section 36.1072(b), Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Within 60 days of receipt of a district's management plan adopted under Section 36.1071, readopted under Subsection (e) or (g) of this section, or amended under Section 36.1073, the executive administrator shall approve the district's plan if the plan is administratively complete. A management plan is administratively complete when it contains the information required to be submitted under Sections [Section] 36.1071(a) and (e) or meets the requirements of Section 36.1071(b-2), if applicable. The executive administrator may determine whether conditions justify waiver of the requirements under Section 36.1071(e)(4).

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act applicable to a petition filed under Section 36.1083, Water Code, apply only to a petition filed under that section on or after the effective date of this Act. A petition filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the petition was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1583 passed the Senate on April 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1583 passed the House on May 6, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, one present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

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Governor