SRC-VRA H.B. 1756 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1756
By: Hilderbran (Fraser)
Natural Resources
5/26/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Menard County has an extremely limited supply of both surface water and
groundwater. The Region F Regional Water Plan of 2002  estimates that the
combined current available water supply under drought conditions for the
585,000 acres of Menard County is 7080 acre-feet/year.  The total maximum
potential water supply is about 29,000 acre-feet/year, comprised of the
9995 acre-feet of adjudicated water rights in the San Saba River, and
19,000 acre feet of availability in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer, which is
the primary groundwater supply.  

The Menard County Water Conservation and Improvement District (district)
manages water in this area.  In order to be effective, the district
requires a name change and permission to allow district board members to
serve on the board of the Menard County Underground Water District without
violating the common-law doctrine of incompatibility. 

H.B. 1756 amends statutory provisions regarding the name, administration,
operations, powers, and duties of the Menard County Water Control and
Improvement District No. 1 and the Menard county Underground Water
District. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 1 and 1A, Article 7880-147z6, V.T.C.S., to
replace "The Menard County Water Control and Improvement Distrit No. 1"
with "The Menard County Water Conservation and Improvement District."
Deletes text relating to the composition of the board of directors.
Authorizes a director of the Menard County Water Conservation and
Improvement District to also serve on the board of directors of the Menard
County Underground Water District, and provides that doing so does not
violate te common-law doctrine of incompatibility. Makes conforming and
nonsubstantive changes.   

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.