BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1648
85R22598 DMS-D	By: Price (Seliger)
	Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs
	5/5/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Current law requires that retail public utilities develop and submit a water conservation plan to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). H.B. 1648 provides that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality require retail public utilities to designate a person as a water conservation coordinator responsible for implementing the water conservation plan. Retail public utilities would also be required to identify, in writing, the water conservation coordinator to TWDB.

H.B. 1648 amends current law relating to the designation of a water conservation coordinator by a retail public water utility to implement a water conservation plan.

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 13.146, Water Code, as follows:

Sec. 13.146. WATER CONSERVATION PLAN. Requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to require a retail public utility that provides potable water service to 3,300 or more connections to:

(1) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes a nonsubstantive change;

(2) designate a person as the water conservation coordinator (coordinator) responsible for implementing the water conservation plan; and

(3) identify, in writing, the coordinator to the executive administrator of the Texas Water Development Board.�

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.