By: Lucio III (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 3137

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013; May 7, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to limiting the amount of a fee or assessment imposed by the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 4.04(b) and (d), Chapter 385, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, are amended to read as follows:

(b) Each fiscal year, the board shall determine the amount of the fee or assessment based on the water rights held by the affected entity. The fee or assessment may not exceed five cents per acre-foot.

(d) An initial fee or assessment imposed under this section may not exceed five cents per acre-foot for each water right held by the affected entity.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a fee or assessment that is imposed by the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority on or after the effective date of this Act. A fee or assessment that is imposed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the fee or assessment was imposed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. 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, 2013.

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