LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 1, 2005

TO:	Honorable Frank Madla, Chair, Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB343 by Brimer (Relating to county authority to regulate the placement of water wells in unincorporated areas of the county; providing a penalty.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would authorize county commissioners courts in a county with a population of 1.4 million or more to regulate the placement of private water wells and drilling into a contaminated groundwater plume or aquifer in the unincorporated area of the county. The county would be authorized to establish rules related to placement, to have the county health officer or other official designated by the county to inspect the proposed private water well site, to impose a placement review fee in the amount of not more than $50 to enforce the ordinances, and to charge a person who violates the ordinances with a Class C misdemeanor. The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.

Local Government Impact

The applicability requirements apply to Tarrant, Dallas, and Harris counties. Both Dallas and Harris counties indicated there would be no significant fiscal impact. It is assumed that the fiscal impact for Tarrant County would be similar. Harris County estimates it would receive beetween 750 and 1,000 notices of intent to drill a well per year and the fees would offset the costs of conducting the review.

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JOB, DLBa