By Saunders                                           H.B. No. 2043
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the process of the Texas Water Commission.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 5.103, Water Code, is amended to read as
    1-5  follows:
    1-6        Sec. 5.103.  Rules.  (a)  The commission shall adopt any
    1-7  rules necessary to carry out its powers and duties under this code
    1-8  and other laws of this state.
    1-9        (b)  The commission shall adopt reasonable procedural rules
   1-10  to be followed in a commission hearing.  The executive director may
   1-11  recommend to the commission for its consideration any rules that he
   1-12  considers necessary.
   1-13        (c)  Rules shall be adopted in the manner provided by the
   1-14  Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act (Article 6252-13a,
   1-15  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).  As provided by that Act, the
   1-16  commission must adopt rules when adopting, repealing or amending
   1-17  any agency statement of general applicability that interprets or
   1-18  prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice
   1-19  requirements of an agency.  The commission shall follow its own
   1-20  rules as adopted until it changes them in accordance with that Act.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  This law shall apply to all rules in existence at
   1-22  the time this law becomes effective and to all rules adopted
   1-23  thereafter.
    2-1        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-2  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-3  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-4  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-5  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-6  and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
    2-7  terms, and it is so enacted.