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House Bill 3025 |
House Author: King, Tracy O. et al. |
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Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Rodríguez |
House Bill 3025 amends the Occupations Code and Water Code to set out and revise provisions relating to open, uncovered, abandoned, or deteriorated wells. The bill, among other provisions, requires a groundwater conservation district to require the owner or lessee of land on which a deteriorated well is located to plug the well or repair it sufficiently to prevent water pollution and authorizes certain employees of the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District to cap an open, uncovered, or abandoned well or repair or plug a deteriorated well inside the district.
Governor's Reason for Veto: "House Bill 3025 would have authorized a groundwater district to determine when a landowner's well has deteriorated and to compel the landowner to repair the deteriorated well to the district's satisfaction. If the landowner does not do so within ten days, the bill authorizes the water district to enter the landowner's land, repair the well, and send the landowner the bill. This would give groundwater districts greater discretion to infringe on private property rights and impose costs on landowners. The legitimate need to repair deteriorated wells should be addressed in a way that provides more protections for landowners."