BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 554

By: Kolkhorst

Special Purpose Districts

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that meetings of certain water districts held outside of the district can discourage meeting attendance and participation by members of the public. S.B. 554 seeks to address this issue by reforming notice requirements for certain special districts that hold board meetings outside the district.

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. 554 amends the Water Code to require certain water districts that do not have a meeting place within the district, respectively, to include in the required notice for a district's first meeting of each calendar year a description of the petition process for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to designate a meeting place.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.