Amend CSSB 1 (house committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered ARTICLE to the bill and renumbering subsequent ARTICLES accordingly:
ARTICLE ____. FISCAL MATTERS RELATING TO CERTAIN GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
SECTION ____.01. Section 36.0151, Water Code, is amended by adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows:
(f) Before September 1, 2015, the commission may not create a groundwater conservation district under this section in a county:
(1) in which the annual amount of surface water used is more than 50 times the annual amount of groundwater produced;
(2) that is located in a priority groundwater management area; and
(3) that has a population greater than 2.3 million.
(g) To the extent of a conflict between Subsection (f) and Section 35.012, Subsection (f) prevails.
(h) The commission may charge an annual fee not to exceed $500 to a county described by Subsection (f) for the purpose of studying compliance with that subsection in that county and the overall groundwater consumption in that county.