BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 363

By: Fraser

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that voter turnout is low for director elections of the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District. S.B. 363 seeks to address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 363 amends Chapter 654, Acts of the 71st Legislature, Regular Session, 1989, to clarify that the name of the management district created as the Springhills Water Management District is the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District and that a reference in law to the Springhills Water Management District means the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District. The bill establishes that directors of the district serve staggered four-year terms and requires an election for the appropriate number of directors to be held every two years on the uniform election date in November. The bill sets the term of a director elected to the district board in May 2013 to expire on December 1, 2016, and the term of a director elected to the board in May 2015 to expire December 1, 2018.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.