BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                              S.B. 986

                                                                                                                                         By: Duncan

                                                                                                                               Natural Resources

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Under current law, the Wes-Tex Groundwater Conservation District (the district), located in Nolan County, must re-elect its directors each time the county commissioners precincts are redrawn. Elections must occur in the May after the redrawing occurs.  Senate Bill 986 allows the current directors of the district to remain in their positions after a redrawing of the precinct boundaries until the end of their terms.  The bill will also allow for the election of the directors to occur at the same time as the county commissioner's elections in November of even-numbered years. This will ensure a greater voter turnout for the district and save the expense of duplicate elections.

 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

SB 986 will amend Section 9(e), Chapter 1473, Acts of 77th Legislature, to allow the directors of the Wes-Tex Groundwater Conservation District to serve the remainder of          their terms after the county commissioners precincts have been redrawn, even if the change in boundaries places that director's residence outside of the precinct for which they were elected.

 

The bill will change the election date of directors from May of even-numbered years to November of even-numbered years, which will be the same date that the county commissioners elections occur.  In addition, the bill removes the requirement that each precinct has one director from an incorporated area and one from an unincorporated area.

 

The bill amends Section 11A to require that directors of Precincts 2 and 4 be elected in November 2006 and serve four-year terms.  The at-large director and directors of          Precincts 1 and 3 will be elected in November 2008 and will serve four-year terms.

 

Finally, the bill provides that the terms of the district directors elected from Precincts 2 and 4 and serving on the effective date of this Act expire December 1, 2006.  The term of the district director elected from the district at-large and the terms of the directors elected from Precincts 1 and 3 who are serving on the effective date of this Act expire December 1, 2008.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Immediately upon a two-thirds vote in each house, or September 1, 2005.