By Alvarado H.B. No. 109 76R254 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to prohibiting the severance of surface rights from 1-3 groundwater rights in conveying real property. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 5, Property Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 5.012 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 5.012. SEVERANCE OF SURFACE RIGHTS FROM GROUNDWATER 1-8 RIGHTS PROHIBITED. In conveying real property, the owner of the 1-9 property may not sever surface rights from groundwater rights. The 1-10 owner may not: 1-11 (1) retain surface rights and convey groundwater 1-12 rights to the real property; or 1-13 (2) retain groundwater rights and convey surface 1-14 rights to the real property. 1-15 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-21 passage, and it is so enacted.