1-1     By:  Barrientos                                       S.B. No. 1316

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1997; March 18, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;

 1-4     April 10, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 10,

 1-5     Nays 0; April 10, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to fees of office and expenses of water district

 1-9     directors.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 49.060, Water Code, is amended by

1-12     redesignating Subsection (d) as Subsection (e) and adding a new

1-13     Subsection (d) to read as follows:

1-14           (d)  Instead of the fees of office and reimbursement of

1-15     actual expenses, a director may elect to receive a per diem of $100

1-16     for each day the director actually spends performing the duties of

1-17     a director.  The total per diems received may not exceed $6,000 per

1-18     annum except for directors of a special water authority that is

1-19     engaged in the distribution and sale of electric energy to the

1-20     public.  In order to receive the per diem, each director shall file

1-21     with the district a general description of the duties performed for

1-22     each day of service.

1-23           (e)  Section 49.002 notwithstanding, in all areas of conflict

1-24     the provisions of this section shall take precedence over all prior

1-25     statutory enactments.  If the enactment of this section results in

1-26     an increase in the fees of office for any district, that district's

1-27     fees of office shall not increase unless the board adopts a

1-28     resolution authorizing payment of the higher fees.

1-29           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-30           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-31     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-32     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-33     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-34     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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