Honorable Jim Keffer, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB611 by Perry (Relating to the confidentiality of certain water well reports.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would exempt certain groundwater withdrawal reports from public disclosure under the Public Information Act. The bill would allow an owner or operator of a privately owned water well to submit a written request to a groundwater conservation district (GCD) to treat the owner or operator's groundwater withdrawal reports as confidential information. The bill's confidentiality provisions would not apply to a well owned or operated by a public entity, municipality, or a conservation and reclamation district authorized by Section 59, Article 16, Texas Constitution.
The changes proposed by the bill would only apply to a groundwater withdrawal report required to be filed with a GCD on or after September 1, 2015, the effective date of the bill.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality