By:  Staples                                          S.B. No. 1600
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the water rights permit for the proposed Lake Eastex
 1-3     water supply reservoir project.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the proposed Lake
 1-6     Eastex project authorized by Water Use Permit No. 4228 (A-4537) is
 1-7     a rural water project for political subdivisions and that its
 1-8     construction and development are in the public interest.  The
 1-9     legislature further finds that the deadlines for commencement and
1-10     completion of construction in the permit should be extended so that
1-11     construction of the dam shall be commenced not later than September
1-12     1, 2011, and completed not later than September 1, 2017.  The Texas
1-13     Natural Resource Conservation Commission may further extend the
1-14     deadlines for good cause.
1-15           SECTION 2.  The Texas Natural Resource Conservation
1-16     Commission shall issue without notice or hearing an amendment to
1-17     the permit extending the deadlines for commencement and completion
1-18     of construction in accordance with this Act.
1-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-20     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-21     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-22     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-23     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.