81R21702 SLB-D
 
  By: Callegari H.B. No. 4212
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the enforcement of rules by the Harris-Galveston
  Subsidence District and the Fort Bend Subsidence District.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 8801.204(a) and (c), Special District
  Local Laws Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  If it appears that a person has violated or is violating
  or threatening to violate this chapter or a rule, permit, or other
  order of the district issued or adopted under this chapter, the
  district may institute an action in a district court in the district
  for:
               (1)  injunctive relief to restrain the person from
  continuing the violation or threat of violation;
               (2)  the assessment and recovery of a civil penalty of:
                     (A)  not less than $50 and not more than $5,000 for
  each violation and for each day of a continuing violation, if the
  person is not a political subdivision or an agency of a political
  subdivision; or
                     (B)  if the person is a political subdivision or
  an agency of a political subdivision, an amount equal to the greater
  of:
                           (i)  120 percent of the sum of the fees
  assessed against the person and the amount the person would have
  paid to an alternative water supplier; or
                           (ii)  $5,000 for each violation and for each
  day of a continuing violation; or
               (3)  both injunctive relief and civil penalties.
         (c)  At the request of the board, or the general manager if
  authorized by the board, the attorney general shall institute and
  conduct an action against any person in the name of the district for
  injunctive relief or to recover a civil penalty, or both.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 43(a) and (b), Chapter 1045, Acts of the
  71st Legislature, Regular Session, 1989, are amended to read as
  follows:
         (a)  If a person has violated, is violating, or is
  threatening to violate a provision of this Act or a rule,
  regulation, permit, or other order of the district, the district
  may bring a civil action in a district court within the district
  for:
               (1)  an injunction to restrain the person from
  continuing the violation or the threat of violation;
               (2)  the assessment and recovery of[, for] a civil
  penalty of:
                     (A)  not less than $50 nor more than $5,000 for
  each violation and for each day of violation, if the person is not a
  political subdivision or an agency of a political subdivision; or
                     (B)  if the person is a political subdivision or
  an agency of a political subdivision, an amount equal to the greater
  of:
                           (i)  120 percent of the sum of the fees
  assessed against the person and the amount the person would have
  paid to an alternative water supplier; or
                           (ii)  $5,000 for each violation and for each
  day of a continuing violation; or
               (3)  [for] both injunctive relief and civil penalty.
         (b)  At the request of the board, or the general manager if
  authorized by the board, the attorney general shall institute and
  conduct an [the] action against any person in the name of the
  district for injunctive relief or to recover a civil penalty, or
  both. However, the district in its sole discretion may employ
  attorneys of its choice to institute the action.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a violation that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
  A violation that occurs before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect at the time the violation occurred,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.