BLS H.B. 3592 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS NATURAL RESOURCES H.B. 3592 By: Madden 4-30-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Upon passage of SB 626 during the 74th Legislature, Chapter 49 of the Texas Water Code was amended to require four-year terms for members of a district's governing board (unless the board is temporary), with the election to be held on a uniform election date in January or May of evennumbered years. Whether or not a special law district's enabling legislation establishes a twoyear or four-year term for its governing board's members, its elections still must be held on a January or May uniform election date in even-numbered years. The Board of Directors of the Seis Lagos Utility District, though eligible to retain two-year terms under its special district status, wishes to extend its members' terms from two to four years and stagger them appropriately, while changing to the new even-numbered year election cycle. PURPOSE To provide a mechanism for the Seis Lagos Utility District's Board of Directors to make the transition both from two-year to four-year terms, from elections in odd-numbered to evennumbered years for its members, and to stagger their terms appropriately. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1: Amends Section 5(e), Chapter 527, Acts of the 71st Legislature, Regular Session, 1989, by designating the first Saturday in May of each even numbered year as the date for holding the district's election for directors to the board, its members to serve staggered four-year terms. SECTION 2: (a) Stipulates that the terms of the two directors elected at the May 1995 election expire on the first Saturday in May 1998 as provided by Section 50(b), Chapter 715, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1993. (b) Stipulates that the terms of the three directors elected in May 1996 expire on the first Saturday in May 2000 as provided by Section 49.103, Water Code. (c) Stipulates that directors elected at the election held on the first Saturday in May 1998 and in subsequent even-numbered years serve four-year terms. SECTION 3: Emergency clause.