| TO: | Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair, Senate Committee on Government Organization |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB660 by Hinojosa (Relating to the review and functions of the Texas Water Development Board, including the functions of the board and related entities in connection with the process for establishing and appealing desired future conditions in a groundwater management area.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
This bill (sunset legislation for the Water Development Board) would require the Office of the Attorney General to, upon request of the Water Development Board (TWDB), take legal action to compel a recipient of TWDB’s financial assistance to cure or prevent default in payment. The bill would require TWDB and the Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), in consultation with the Water Conservation Advisory Council, to develop a uniform system for reporting municipal water use and require entities to use this methodology when submitting water conservation plans and reports to TWDB or TCEQ. The bill would abolish the Texas Geographic Information Council and clarify the Texas Natural Resources Information System’s responsibilities related to coordinating and advancing geographic information initiatives in the state. The bill would require TWDB, as part of the State Water Plan, to evaluate the state’s progress in meeting its future water needs and include an analysis of how many state water plan projects received its financial assistance. The bill would establish a process whereby non-self supporting general obligation water bonds could be removed from the Constitutional Debt Limit under certain circumstances. The bill would repeal the appeal process for determining the reasonableness of a desired future condition at TWDB.
TWDB, TCEQ, and the Sunset Advisory Commission indicate that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within current resources.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
The bill would amend Water Code to outline specific requirements for meetings related to desired future conditions (DFC) and provide detailed procedures for the adoption of DFCs by groundwater conservation districts. Requirements include posting advance notice of meetings at various physical locations and on the district’s website, and the requirement to hold a 30-day public comment period.
Groundwater conservation districts reported moderate to significant costs associated with implementing the bill.
McMullen Groundwater Conservation District reported $3,000 in annual costs associated with the bill, comprising 13% of current budget expenditures.
Live Oak Underwater Conservation District reported $6,000 in annual costs associated with the bill, comprising 10% of current budget expenditures.
Bee Groundwater Conservation District reported $5,000 in annual costs associated with the bill, comprising 5% of current budget expenditures.
| Source Agencies: | 580 Water Development Board, 116 Sunset Advisory Commission, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KM, ZS, AH, SZ, KKR
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