BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 5675

By: Morales, Eddie

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District was created in 1993 to conserve and manage the groundwater resources of Presidio County and that district stakeholders, including the City of Marfa and the City of Presidio, want the size of the district's board of directors to be increased so that they may be represented. H.B. 5675 seeks to address this issue by increasing the number of members of the district's board.

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

H.B. 5675 amends Chapter 453, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, to change the rights, powers, privileges, authority, functions, and duties provided by the general law of the state that the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District has from those applicable to underground water conservation districts created under specified provisions of the Texas Constitution to those applicable to groundwater conservation districts created under such provisions. The bill exempts the district from statutory groundwater conservation district provisions relating to a limitation on the rulemaking power of districts over wells in certain counties.

H.B. 5675 increases from five to seven the number of district directors by adding a director who is to be appointed by the governing body of the City of Marfa and another director who is to be appointed by the governing body of the City of Presidio.

H.B. 5675 establishes that all applicable requirements relating to the following have been fulfilled and accomplished with respect to the bill:

· the legal notice of intention to introduce;

· governor action;

· Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recommendations; and

· the state constitution and laws and legislative rules and procedures.

H.B. 5675 repeals Section 6(e), Chapter 453, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.