82R8551 SLB-F
 
  By: Price H.B. No. 2113
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a groundwater conservation district in
  a priority groundwater management area.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 35.012, Water Code, is amended by adding
  Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (b-3) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  Except as provided by Subsection (b-2), a district
  created under Subchapter B, Chapter 36, must be composed of
  territory in two or more contiguous counties, unless the commission
  determines that a district composed of territory in noncontiguous
  counties will result in more effective or efficient groundwater
  management than other options available to the commission.
         (b-2)  A district created under Section 36.0151 may be
  composed of territory that exists in a single county only if:
               (1)  the territory in the county is the only area in the
  designated priority groundwater management area that is not in a
  district; or
               (2)  there are other areas in the designated priority
  groundwater management area, but:
                     (A)  the other areas are not contiguous to the
  territory; and
                     (B)  the commission determines that creating a
  single district composed of two or more of the noncontiguous areas,
  including the territory, would result in less effective or less
  efficient management of groundwater resources in the territory than
  creating a district composed of the territory in the single county.
         (b-3)  For purposes of this section, the commission may
  consider territory in two separately designated priority
  groundwater management areas to be in the same designated priority
  groundwater management area if:
               (1)  the two areas share a common boundary and one or
  more common aquifers; and
               (2)  the commission determines that a district composed
  of territory in the two areas will result in more effective or
  efficient groundwater management than other options available to
  the commission.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 36.012(a) and (b), Water Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A district may include all or part of two [one] or more
  counties, and one or more municipalities [cities], districts, or
  other political subdivisions.
         (b)  A district must be composed of territory in two or more
  contiguous counties, unless the commission determines that a
  district composed of territory in noncontiguous counties will
  result in more effective or efficient groundwater management than
  other options available to the commission [A district may not
  include territory located in more than one county except on a
  majority vote of the voters residing within the territory in each
  county sought to be included in the district at an election called
  for that purpose].
         SECTION 3.  Section 35.012(b-1), Water Code, as added by
  this Act, and Section 36.012, Water Code, as amended by this Act,
  apply only to a district created on or after the effective date of
  this Act.
         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, 2011.