By: Seliger  S.B. No. 413
         (In the Senate - Filed January 29, 2015; February 4, 2015,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water,
  and Rural Affairs; April 7, 2015, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
  Nays 0; April 7, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 413 By:  Perry
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the qualifications for membership on the Texas Water
  Development Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 6.052(a) and (b), Water Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The board is composed of three members who are appointed
  by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. One
  member must have experience in the field of engineering, one member
  must have experience in the field of public or private finance, and
  one member must:
               (1)  be actively engaged in the business of farming or
  animal husbandry or another business related to agriculture; and
               (2)  wholly or partly own or lease land used in
  connection with a business described by Subdivision (1) [have
  experience in the field of law or business].
         (b)  The governor shall make the appointments in such a
  manner that the members:
               (1)  reflect the diverse geographic regions and
  population groups of this state, provided that one member resides
  in a rural area and is a registered voter of a county with a
  population of less than 355,000; and
               (2)  do not have any conflicts of interest prohibited
  by state or federal law.
         SECTION 2.  Section 6.054, Water Code, is amended by adding
  Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(2), a board member who
  resided in a county with a population of less than 355,000 at the
  time the member was appointed may not be removed on the ground that
  the population of the county no longer meets that requirement.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act relating to
  the qualifications for membership on the Texas Water Development
  Board do not affect the eligibility of a member of the board serving
  immediately before the effective date of this Act to continue to
  serve on the board for the term to which the member was appointed.
  Not later than February 1, 2019, the governor shall appoint members
  of the board as necessary to ensure that the composition of the
  board complies with Section 6.052, Water Code, as amended by this
  Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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