SRC-TJG S.B. 1550 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1550
78R6104 QS-FBy: Duncan
Natural Resources
3/25/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires ground water conservation districts (district) to use
the groundwater availability modeling information provided or approved by
the Texas Water Development Board (TWB).  As proposed, S.B. 1550 requires
the executive administrator of TWB to notify the district if site-specific
information is unreliable.  This bill also authorizes the district to
amend a management plan after considering comments received by the
executive administrator.  

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 Section 36.1071, Water Code, by amending Subsection (h)
and adding Subsection (i), as follows: 

(h) Deletes existing text related to site-specific information about an
aquifer that is acceptable to the executive administrator.  

(i) Requires the executive administrator of the Texas Water Development
Board, if, on review of the management plan, the executive administrator
determines that any of the site-specific information provided by the
groundwater conservation district (district) under Subsection (h) is
unreliable, to notify the district.  Requires the district to consider any
comments received from the executive administrator and authorizes the
district to amend the management plan accordingly. 

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