BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1982

By: Metcalf

Special Purpose Districts

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District has a convoluted system of appointment for the district's board of directors. H.B. 1982 seeks to address this issue by changing the process by which directors are selected.

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

H.B. 1982 amends Chapter 1321, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to decrease from nine to five the number of directors of the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District and to change the type of process by which a director is selected from an appointment process to an election process. The bill establishes that one director is elected from each of the four commissioners precincts of Montgomery County by the voters of the applicable precinct to be designated as the director whose place number matches the applicable precinct number and that one director is elected by the voters of the district at large to be designated as the director for place number five. The bill prohibits a director from serving more than three full terms. The bill includes temporary provisions set to expire September 1, 2024, providing for the transition from appointed to elected directors.

H.B. 1982 repeals Sections 7(b), (c), and (d), Chapter 1321, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.