TO: | Honorable Robert Puente, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB4029 by Morrison (Relating to the creation of the Lavaca County Groundwater Conservation District; providing authority to impose a tax.), As Introduced |
The Legislative Budget Board, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), has determined that:
The bill creates the Lavaca County Groundwater Conservation District (District) in Lavaca County with the powers and duties of Water Code, Chapter 36 related to general law for groundwater conservation districts (GCDs). The purpose of the District is to benefit property by providing for the conservation, preservation, protection, recharging, and prevention of waste of groundwater, and to control subsidence caused by the withdrawal of groundwater under powers conferred by Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution. Creation of the District is subject to a confirmation election.
1) Population - The total 2000 Census population of
2) Location - The boundaries of the proposed district are coextensive with the boundaries of
3) Comments on Powers/Duties Different from Similar Types of Districts- Unlike general law GCDs, the bill provides that the temporary directors of the District must hold the confirmation election on the uniform election date in May 2008 and may hold subsequent elections if creation of the District is not confirmed at the May 2008 election. The District may not levy a tax that exceeds $0.05 per $100 assessed valuation. The District would be dissolved on May 31, 2012, if it is not confirmed by the voters.
4) Overlapping Services- There are no other GCDs in
5) TCEQ's Supervision- As with general law GCDs, the TCEQ will have general supervisory authority, including bond review authority and authority as it is related to the District’s development and implementation of a management plan. The District would not have to comply with TCEQ financial auditing requirements.
6) Water Use- In 2004, 56 percent of the total water use in
Source Agencies: | 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 580 Water Development Board
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LBB Staff: | JOB, WK
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