TO: | Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence |
FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB803 by Geren (Relating to the authority of political subdivisions to exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire rights to water and the assessment of damages in condemnation proceedings initiated for that purpose.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Property Code by adding new sections providing requirements for condemnation petitions and the assessment of damages in a land condemnation proceeding for the market value of groundwater rights associated with the property. The bill provides specific criteria that must be addressed in assessing damages based on the market value of the groundwater rights.
Political subdivisions that choose to condemn property to develop or use the groundwater would see some fiscal implications. The market value for groundwater will vary across the state depending on many factors. The City of Sweetwater reported that water rights associated with a particular tract could change the value of the land from $50 per acre to as much as $8,000 per acre or more.
Source Agencies: | 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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LBB Staff: | JK, GO, JB, KG, TL
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