85R6986 TSR-D

By: Workman H.B. No. 922

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose fees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:

(1) creation of the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District:

(A) is consistent with the state's preferred method of groundwater management;

(B) will protect property rights, balance the development and conservation of groundwater with the needs of this state, and use the best available science in the area of groundwater through rules developed, adopted, and promulgated by the district in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8871, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act; and

(C) will be a benefit to the land in the district and a public benefit and utility;

(2) the district is created to:

(A) protect the interests of private property ownership while balancing the interests of all property owners in the district;

(B) manage groundwater resources; and

(C) protect the groundwater in the district;

(3) although a property owner of land in the district is not entitled to an equal amount of water as another property owner of land in the district, a property owner does have a vested ownership interest in the groundwater beneath the owner's property, and the district shall recognize that ownership interest; and

(4) the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District is not created to prohibit or restrict development of private property in the district.

SECTION 2. Subtitle H, Title 6, Special District Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Chapter 8871 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 8871. SOUTHWESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION

DISTRICT

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 8871.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Board" means the district's board of directors.

(2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(3) "Director" means a board member.

(4) "District" means the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District.

(5) "Executive director" means the executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Sec. 8871.002. NATURE OF DISTRICT. The district is a groundwater conservation district in Travis County created under and essential to accomplish the purposes of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 8871.003. FINDINGS OF PUBLIC USE AND BENEFIT. (a) The district is created to serve a public use and benefit.

(b) All land and other property included in the district will benefit from the works and projects accomplished by the district under the powers conferred by Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 8871.004. INITIAL DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The district is initially composed of the territory described by Section 3 of the Act creating this chapter.

(b) The boundaries and field notes contained in Section 3 of the Act creating this chapter form a closure. A mistake made in the field notes or in copying the field notes in the legislative process does not affect the district's:

(1) organization, existence, or validity;

(2) right to issue any type of bond for the purposes for which the district is created or to pay the principal of and interest on a bond; or

(3) legality or operation.

Sec. 8871.005. CONFIRMATION ELECTION NOT REQUIRED. An election to confirm the creation of the district is not required.

SUBCHAPTER B. TEMPORARY AND INITIAL DIRECTORS

Sec. 8871.021. APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY DIRECTORS; VACANCIES; TERMS. (a) Seven persons who reside in the district shall be appointed as temporary directors not later than the 90th day after the effective date of the Act creating this chapter as follows:

(1) the county judge of Travis County shall appoint one temporary director;

(2) the county commissioner for the county commissioners precinct in which the district is located shall appoint two temporary directors;

(3) the state representative who represents the house district in which the district is principally located shall appoint two temporary directors; and

(4) the state senator who represents the senate district in which the district is principally located shall appoint two temporary directors.

(b) If a temporary director fails to qualify for office or a vacancy occurs on the temporary board, the remaining temporary directors shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy. If at any time there are fewer than four temporary directors, the state representative under Subsection (a)(3) shall appoint the necessary number of persons to fill all vacancies on the board.

(c) Temporary directors serve until the date initial directors are elected at an election held under Section 8871.024.

Sec. 8871.022. ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING. (a) Not later than the 45th day after the date on which the seventh temporary director is appointed under Section 8871.021, the temporary directors shall hold the organizational meeting of the district.

(b) The temporary directors shall select from among themselves a president, a vice president, and a secretary.

Sec. 8871.023. AUTHORITY OF TEMPORARY DIRECTORS. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (c) and (d) or as otherwise provided by this subchapter, the temporary directors of the district have the same permitting and general management powers as those provided for initial and permanent directors under this chapter and Chapter 36, Water Code.

(b) The temporary directors or their designees have the authority to enter any public or private property located in the district to inspect a water well that is not exempt under Section 8871.103, as provided by Section 36.123, Water Code.

(c) Except as provided by Section 8871.024, the temporary directors do not have the authority granted by the following provisions of Chapter 36, Water Code:

(1) Sections 36.017, 36.019, 36.020, and 36.059;

(2) Sections 36.105, 36.1071, 36.1072, 36.1073, and 36.108;

(3) Sections 36.171-36.181;

(4) Sections 36.201-36.204; and

(5) Subchapters J and K.

(d) The temporary directors may regulate the transfer of groundwater out of the district as provided by Section 36.122, Water Code, but may not prohibit the transfer of groundwater out of the district.

Sec. 8871.024. INITIAL DIRECTORS' ELECTION. (a) The temporary directors shall order an election in the district to be held not later than the uniform election date in November 2019 to elect the initial directors.

(b) At the initial directors' election, the temporary board shall have placed on the ballot the names of the candidates who are eligible under Section 8871.051 for each of the seven positions on the board.

(c) Section 41.001(a), Election Code, applies to an election held under this section.

(d) Except as provided by this section, the initial directors' election must be conducted as provided by the Election Code and Sections 36.017(b), (c), and (e), Water Code.

Sec. 8871.025. INITIAL DIRECTORS. (a) Promptly after the election has been held under Section 8871.024 and the votes have been canvassed, the temporary directors shall:

(1) declare for each board position the person who receives the most votes for that position to be elected as the initial director for that position; and

(2) include the results of the initial directors' election in the district's election report to the commission.

(b) The initial directors shall draw lots to determine which three initial directors serve two-year terms and which four initial directors serve four-year terms.

SUBCHAPTER C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sec. 8871.051. GOVERNING BODY; TERMS. (a) The district is governed by a board of seven directors.

(b) Directors elected after the election held under Section 8871.024 serve four-year terms.

(c) The directors are elected as follows:

(1) one director must reside in the corporate limits of the City of Bee Cave and be elected by voters residing in the City of Bee Cave;

(2) one director must reside in the corporate limits of the City of Lakeway or Village of the Hills and be elected by voters residing in the City of Lakeway and Village of the Hills;

(3) one director must reside in the corporate limits of the City of West Lake Hills and be elected by voters residing in the City of West Lake Hills; and

(4) four directors must:

(A) reside inside the district and outside the corporate limits of the City of Bee Cave, City of Lakeway, Village of the Hills, and City of West Lake Hills; and

(B) be elected by voters residing inside the district and outside the corporate limits of the City of Bee Cave, City of Lakeway, Village of the Hills, and City of West Lake Hills.

SUBCHAPTER D. POWERS AND DUTIES

Sec. 8871.101. GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT POWERS AND DUTIES. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the district has the powers and duties provided by the general law of this state, including Chapter 36, Water Code, applicable to groundwater conservation districts created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 8871.102. AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY PROJECTS. The district may implement and develop aquifer storage and recovery projects.

Sec. 8871.103. EXEMPT WELLS. (a) Groundwater withdrawals from the following wells may not be regulated, permitted, or metered by the district:

(1) a well used for domestic use by a single private residential household and incapable of producing more than 10,000 gallons per day; and

(2) a well used for conventional farming and ranching activities, including intensive operations such as aquaculture, livestock feedlots, or poultry operations.

(b) The district may not charge or collect a well construction fee for a well described by Subsection (a)(2).

(c) A well used for dewatering and monitoring in the production of coal or lignite is exempt from permit requirements, regulations, and fees imposed by the district.

Sec. 8871.104. PERMIT REQUIRED. A well owner must obtain a permit and pay any required fees, including a well construction fee, before using any groundwater withdrawn from a well for purposes other than those exempted by Section 8871.103.

Sec. 8871.105. ACCESS TO PROPERTY. (a) An employee or agent of the district:

(1) may not enter property to inspect an exempt well without the property owner's permission; and

(2) may request that the commission obtain the permission of the property owner to enter the owner's property to inspect an exempt well.

(b) Subject to Subsection (c), an employee or agent of the commission is entitled to enter public or private property in the district at any reasonable time to:

(1) inspect an exempt well;

(2) inspect and investigate conditions relating to the quality of water in the state; and

(3) monitor compliance with any rule, regulation, permit, or other order of the district or the commission.

(c) An employee or agent of the commission shall obtain the permission of the property owner before entering public or private property.

(d) An employee or agent of the commission is entitled to enter public or private property in the district at any reasonable time without obtaining the permission of the property owner:

(1) if the property owner is not responsive to the commission's attempt to obtain the owner's permission; or

(2) to remove or remediate a condition related to the quality of water in the state if there is an immediate danger to public health or the environment.

(e) If any employee or agent of the commission is refused the right to enter public or private property in the district under this section, the executive director may seek a court order from a district court authorizing the commission to enter the land.

(f) An employee or agent who enters private property under this section shall:

(1) observe the property's rules and regulations, if any, concerning safety, internal security, and fire protection;

(2) notify management or a person in charge of the presence of the employee or agent; and

(3) exhibit proper credentials.

Sec. 8871.106. NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The district may not exercise the power of eminent domain.

SUBCHAPTER E. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 8871.151. WELL CONSTRUCTION FEE. The district may charge and collect a new well construction fee not to exceed $1,000 for a new well.

Sec. 8871.152. PERMIT RENEWAL APPLICATION FEE. The district may charge and collect a permit renewal application fee not to exceed $400.

Sec. 8871.153. SERVICE CONNECTION FEE. (a) This section does not apply to a water utility that has surface water as its sole source of water.

(b) The district may levy and collect a water utility service connection fee not to exceed $1,000 for each new water service connection made after September 1, 2017.

Sec. 8871.154. PRODUCTION FEE. The district may impose reasonable production fees on each well that is not exempt from permitting under Section 8871.103 based on the amount of water actually withdrawn from the well. The district may not impose a production fee under this section in an amount greater than 10 cents per thousand gallons.

Sec. 8871.155. TAXES AND OTHER FEES PROHIBITED. The district may not:

(1) impose a tax; or

(2) assess or collect any fees except as authorized by Section 8871.151, 8871.152, 8871.153, or 8871.154.

SECTION 3. The Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District initially includes all the territory contained in the following area:

THE TERRITORY OF THE SOUTHWEST TRAVIS COUNTY PORTION OF THE HILL COUNTRY PRIORITY GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA - AS DESCRIBED BY 2010 TCEQ REPORT; "The southwestern Travis territory is located in the southwestern quarter of Travis County. The southwestern Travis territory is bound to the west by Blanco and Burnet counties, southwest by Hays County, and southeast by the northwestern boundary of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BS/EACD). The northern boundary of the southwestern Travis territory is the Colorado River (Lake Travis, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake)."

SECTION 4. (a) The legal notice of the intention to introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies, officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313, Government Code.

(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives within the required time.

(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled and accomplished.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.