BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2406
	By: Creighton
	Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
	4/11/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Water access is essential to the functioning of hospitals. Of particular importance, water is utilized in plumbing fixtures and landscaping, and to cool equipment and for medical process rinses. In the case of a storm or other emergency event, a lack of access can halt the efficiency of a hospital, decreasing patient quality of care and ballooning costs.

S.B. 2406 enables hospitals in Jefferson County to drill a water well on their property. This allows hospitals in Jefferson County to have another source of water to "supplement the hospital's water supply" in case of an emergency. This bill would not affect the authority of a groundwater conservation district to regulate groundwater production.

As proposed, S.B. 2406 amends current law relating to the authority of a hospital to drill a water well for the purpose of producing water for use in the event of an emergency or natural disaster in certain counties.

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 Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 311.005, as follows:

Sec. 311.005. WATER WELLS FOR USE IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Provides that this section applies only to counties adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico and Sabine-Neches River, with a population of at least 200,000 and less than 300,000 persons.

(b) Authorizes a hospital to drill a water well on property owned by the hospital for the purpose of producing water to supplement the hospital's water supply in the event that an emergency or natural disaster prevents the hospital from receiving water from the hospital from receiving water from the hospital's usual source.

(c) Provides that this section does not affect the authority of a groundwater conservation district to regulate groundwater production under Chapter 36 (Groundwater Conservation Districts), Water Code, or other law governing a groundwater conservation district.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.