By: Hilderbran H.B. No. 1810 73R5106 MI-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the appropriation of state water for recharging certain 1-3 underground freshwater bearing sands and aquifers. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 11.023, Water Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subsections (g), (h), and (i) to read as follows: 1-7 (g) State water, including the normal or ordinary flow of a 1-8 stream or watercourse, may be appropriated to recharge underground 1-9 freshwater bearing sands and aquifers other than the Edwards 1-10 Aquifer in Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal and Hays counties 1-11 if it can be established by expert testimony that an unreasonable 1-12 loss of state water will not occur and that the water can be 1-13 withdrawn at a later time for application to a beneficial use. 1-14 (h) When it is put or allowed to sink into the ground, water 1-15 appropriated under Subsection (g) of this section loses its 1-16 character and classification as state water and is considered 1-17 percolating groundwater. 1-18 (i) Water considered percolating groundwater under 1-19 Subsection (h) of this section may be regulated by an underground 1-20 water district operating under Chapter 52 of this code. 1-21 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-3 passage, and it is so enacted.