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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of hospitals in certain counties to drill |
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a water well for the purpose of producing water for use in the event |
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of an emergency or natural disaster. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 311.005 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 311.005. WATER WELLS FOR USE BY HOSPITALS IN CERTAIN |
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COUNTIES IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER. (a) This |
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section applies only to a hospital located in a county that: |
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(1) has a population of more than 250,000; and |
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(2) borders the Neches River. |
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(b) A hospital to which this section applies may drill a |
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water well on property owned by the hospital for the purpose of |
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producing water to supplement the hospital's water supply in the |
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event that an emergency or natural disaster prevents the hospital |
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from receiving water from the hospital's usual source. |
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(c) This section does not affect the authority of a |
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groundwater conservation district to regulate groundwater |
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production under Chapter 36, Water Code, or other law governing a |
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groundwater conservation district. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |