AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 1825 proposes to expand the board of directors of the Fort Bend Subsidence District.  Currently, the board is comprised of directors appointed by various municipalities within the district’s boundaries and by Fort Bend County.  As population has grown within unincorporated areas outside any municipality, these populated areas have become underrepresented on the board.  The North Fort Bend Water Authority provides surface water services to a significant portion of the populated, but underrepresented, areas within the district.  S.B. 1825 proposes to allow the North Fort Bend Water Authority to appoint two additional directors to the current board of directors of the Fort Bend Subsidence District.

 

S.B. 1825 amends current law relating to the composition of the board of directors of the Fort Bend Subsidence District.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 8834.051, Special District Local Laws Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (h) and (i), as follows:

 

(a) Provides that the Fort Bend Subsidence District (district) is governed by the district's board of directors of 15 directors, rather than of 13 directors, appointed as provided by this section.

 

(d) Requires the persons designated by Subsections (e) (relating to requiring the mayors of certain municipalities to appoint a director from the mayor's respective municipality), (f) (relating to requiring the Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County to appoint certain directors), (g) (relating to requiring the mayors of Fort Bend County municipalities other than those listed in Subsection (e) to appoint one director jointly), and (h) to appoint directors in January to fill vacancies caused by the expiration of directors' terms.  Requires the district to mail notice regarding the necessity of an appointment to the persons designated by Subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) not later than the 20th day before the date of the board's January meeting.  Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

(h) Requires the board of directors of the North Fort Bend Water Authority to appoint two directors.

 

(i) Requires the directors to serve staggered terms as follows:

 

(1) five members appointed under Subsection (e) and four members appointed under Subsection (f) are required to serve terms expiring on January 1 of odd-numbered years; and

 

(2) one member appointed under Subsection (e), two members appointed under Subsection (f), one member appointed under Subsection (g), and two members appointed under Subsection (h) are required to serve terms expiring on January 1 of even-numbered years.

 

SECTION 2.  Requires the board of directors of the North Fort Bend Water Authority, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to appoint two members of the board of directors of the Fort Bend Subsidence District as provided by Section 8834.051 (Directors), Special District Local Laws Code, as amended by this Act.

 

SECTION 3.  Provides that the district retains all the rights, powers, privileges, authority, duties, and functions that it had before the effective date of this Act.

 

SECTION 4.  Provides that all requirements of the constitution and the laws of this state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled and accomplished.

 

SECTION 5.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.