By Gallego H.B. No. 2391 76R9765 MI-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the Presidio County Groundwater 1-3 Conservation District. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. CREATION. (a) A groundwater conservation 1-6 district, to be known as the Presidio County Groundwater 1-7 Conservation District, is created in Presidio County, subject to 1-8 approval at a confirmation election under Section 8 of this Act. 1-9 The district is a governmental agency and a body politic and 1-10 corporate. 1-11 (b) The district is created under and is essential to 1-12 accomplish the purposes of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas 1-13 Constitution. 1-14 SECTION 2. DEFINITION. In this Act, "district" means the 1-15 Presidio County Groundwater Conservation District. 1-16 SECTION 3. BOUNDARIES. The boundaries of the district are 1-17 coextensive with the boundaries of Presidio County. 1-18 SECTION 4. FINDING OF BENEFIT. All of the land and other 1-19 property included within the boundaries of the district will be 1-20 benefited by the works and projects that are to be accomplished by 1-21 the district under powers conferred by Section 59, Article XVI, 1-22 Texas Constitution. The district is created to serve a public use 1-23 and benefit. 1-24 SECTION 5. POWERS. (a) The district has all the rights, 2-1 powers, privileges, authority, functions, and duties provided by 2-2 the general law of this state, including Chapter 36, Water Code, 2-3 applicable to groundwater conservation districts created under 2-4 Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. Chapter 49, Water 2-5 Code, does not apply to the district. This Act prevails over any 2-6 provision of general law that is in conflict or inconsistent with 2-7 this Act. 2-8 (b) The district has the power to limit the transfer of 2-9 groundwater out of the district, including the power to prohibit 2-10 the transfer. 2-11 SECTION 6. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (a) The district is 2-12 governed by a board of five directors appointed by the Presidio 2-13 County Commissioners Court. 2-14 (b) A member of the board must reside in the district. 2-15 (c) At least one member of the board must reside in each 2-16 county commissioners precinct. 2-17 (d) Each director must qualify to serve as director in the 2-18 manner provided by Section 36.055, Water Code. 2-19 (e) Directors other than initial directors serve staggered 2-20 three-year terms. 2-21 (f) A director serves until the director's successor has 2-22 qualified. 2-23 (g) If there is a vacancy on the board, the commissioners 2-24 court shall appoint a director to serve the remainder of the term. 2-25 (h) The commissioners court shall appoint a director to 2-26 succeed a director on or before the date the director's term 2-27 expires. 3-1 (i) A director may not receive a salary or other 3-2 compensation for service as a director but may be reimbursed for 3-3 actual expenses of attending meetings at the rate in effect for 3-4 employees of Presidio County. 3-5 SECTION 7. APPOINTMENT AND TERMS OF INITIAL DIRECTORS. Not 3-6 later than the 31st day after the effective date of this Act, the 3-7 Presidio County Commissioners Court shall appoint: 3-8 (1) two directors to serve terms expiring February 1, 3-9 2000; 3-10 (2) two directors to serve terms expiring February 1, 3-11 2001; and 3-12 (3) one director to serve a term expiring February 1, 3-13 2002. 3-14 SECTION 8. CONFIRMATION ELECTION. (a) The initial board of 3-15 directors shall call and hold an election to confirm establishment 3-16 of the district. 3-17 (b) Section 41.001(a), Election Code, does not apply to a 3-18 confirmation election held as provided by this section. 3-19 (c) Except as provided by this section, a confirmation 3-20 election must be conducted as provided by Sections 36.017(b)-(h), 3-21 Water Code, and the Election Code. 3-22 (d) If the establishment of the district has not been 3-23 confirmed at an election held under this section before the second 3-24 anniversary of the effective date of this Act, this Act expires on 3-25 that date. 3-26 SECTION 9. TAXING AUTHORITY. The district may not levy or 3-27 collect an ad valorem tax in the district. 4-1 SECTION 10. FINDINGS RELATING TO PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS. 4-2 (a) The proper and legal notice of the intention to introduce this 4-3 Act, setting forth the general substance of this Act, has been 4-4 published as provided by law, and the notice and a copy of this Act 4-5 have been furnished to all persons, agencies, officials, or 4-6 entities to which they are required to be furnished by the 4-7 constitution and other laws of this state, including the governor, 4-8 who has submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Natural Resource 4-9 Conservation Commission. 4-10 (b) The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission has 4-11 filed its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, 4-12 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives 4-13 within the required time. 4-14 (c) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this 4-15 state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect 4-16 to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled 4-17 and accomplished. 4-18 SECTION 11. REPEALER. Chapter 453, Acts of the 73rd 4-19 Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, is repealed. 4-20 SECTION 12. EFFECTIVE DATES. (a) Except as provided by 4-21 Subsection (b), this Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 4-22 (b) Section 11 of this Act takes effect on the date the 4-23 results of an election confirming the establishment of the district 4-24 are canvassed. 4-25 SECTION 13. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 4-26 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.