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.