BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 5698
89R15712 MCF-F	By: Bell, Cecil (Creighton)
	Local Government
	5/21/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the board of directors of the Harris-Montgomery Counties Management District are appointed by the Harris County Commissioners Court on recommendation of candidates by the sitting board of directors. The bill author has informed the committee that, at the time of creation, the district was located entirely in Harris County but that the district has subsequently grown through annexation and now includes tracts in Montgomery County, where most of the active development is occurring, as well as Waller County. H.B. 5698 would allow the district's board of directors to file a petition with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to appoint directors as an alternative to requesting appointments from the Harris County Commissioners Court. The bill also seeks to rename the district under statute as the Southeast Regional Management District.

H.B. 5698 amends current law relating to the name of and appointment of directors for the Harris-Montgomery Counties Management District.

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 the heading to Chapter 3891, Special District Local Laws Code, to read as follows:

CHAPTER 3891. SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

SECTION 2. Amends Section 3891.001(3), Special District Local Laws Code, to redefine "district."

SECTION 3. Amends Section 3891.002, Special District Local Laws Code, to provide that the Southeast Regional Management District (district), rather than the Harris-Montgomery Counties Management District, is a special district created under Section 59 (Conservation and Development of Natural Resources; Development of Parks and Recreational Facilities; Conservation and Reclamation Districts; Indebtedness and Taxation Authorized), Article XVI (General Provisions), Texas Constitution.

SECTION 4. Amends Sections 3891.052(a) and (e), Special District Local Laws Code, as follows:

(a) Requires the district's board of directors (board) to recommend to the Harris County Commissioners Court persons to serve on a, rather than the, succeeding board or petition the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to appoint persons to serve on a succeeding board.

(e) Requires TCEQ, if the board petitions TCEQ under Subsection (a) for the appointment of persons to serve on a succeeding board, rather than if any provision of certain subsections is found to be invalid, to appoint the succeeding board from recommendations of persons to serve on the succeeding board submitted by the board. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

SECTION 5. Provides that 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 6. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.