| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the procedure by which a regional water planning group |
|
|
is required to provide notice of certain public meetings or |
|
|
hearings. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 16.053(h)(3), Water Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(3) After the regional water plan is initially |
|
|
prepared, the regional water planning group shall, after notice, |
|
|
hold at least one public hearing at some central location readily |
|
|
accessible to the public within the regional water planning area. |
|
|
The group shall make copies of the plan available for public |
|
|
inspection at least one month before the hearing on the group's |
|
|
Internet website [by providing a copy of the plan in the county |
|
|
courthouse and at least one public library of each county having |
|
|
land in the region]. Notice for the hearing shall include the |
|
|
address of the website [a listing of these] and any other location |
|
|
where the plan is available for review. The group shall consider and |
|
|
accommodate residents of the regional water planning area who may |
|
|
need assistance accessing the plan because of a lack of access to |
|
|
Internet services. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 16.053(h)(8), Water Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(8) Notice required by Subdivision (1), (3), or (6) of |
|
|
this subsection may be provided by additional electronic means, |
|
|
including direct e-mail, and must be[: |
|
|
(A) posted on the regional water planning group's |
|
|
website [published once in a newspaper of general circulation in |
|
|
each county located in whole or in part in the regional water |
|
|
planning area before the 30th day preceding the date of the public |
|
|
meeting or hearing]; [and] |
|
|
(B) mailed to: |
|
|
(i) each mayor of a municipality with a |
|
|
population of 1,000 or more that is located in whole or in part in |
|
|
the regional water planning area; |
|
|
(ii) each county judge of a county located |
|
|
in whole or in part in the regional water planning area; |
|
|
(iii) each special or general law district |
|
|
or river authority with responsibility to manage or supply water in |
|
|
the regional water planning area; |
|
|
(iv) each retail public utility that: |
|
|
(a) serves any part of the regional water planning area; or |
|
|
(b) receives water from the regional water planning area; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(v) each holder of record of a permit, |
|
|
certified filing, or certificate of adjudication for the use of |
|
|
surface water the diversion of which occurs in the regional water |
|
|
planning area; and[.] |
|
|
(C) the regional water planning group shall |
|
|
consider and accommodate residents of the regional water planning |
|
|
area who may need assistance accessing notice published by |
|
|
electronic means because of a lack of access to Internet services, |
|
|
particularly when there is a heightened interest in or response to |
|
|
public notice or comment. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 16.053(h)(9), Water Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(9) Notice provided [published] or mailed under |
|
|
Subdivision (8) of this subsection must contain: |
|
|
(A) the date, time, and location of the public |
|
|
meeting or hearing; |
|
|
(B) a summary of the proposed action to be taken; |
|
|
(C) the name, telephone number, and address of |
|
|
the person to whom questions or requests for additional information |
|
|
may be submitted; and |
|
|
(D) information on how the public may submit |
|
|
comments. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to a notice required to be given on or after the effective date of |
|
|
this Act. A notice required to be given before the effective date of |
|
|
this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the notice is |
|
|
given, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |