BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1055

By: Nichols

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District was created through S.B. 1888 by the 78th Texas Legislature and that the district consists of Jasper, Newton, Hardin, and Tyler Counties. The bill sponsor has also informed the committee that although the district is estimated to be the 11th largest groundwater conservation district in Texas, the district is prohibited from imposing a tax and has only one full-time employee and no part-time employees. The bill sponsor has further informed the committee that there is a need to raise the cap on the district's groundwater well permit fee. S.B. 1055 seeks to address this need by raising the cap on that fee.

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

S.B. 1055 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to raise the cap on the groundwater well permit fee that may be imposed by the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District from one cent per thousand gallons of groundwater withdrawn for any purpose to seven cents per such thousand gallons.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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