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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring the board members of the Texas Water |
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Development Board to be elected by the qualified voters at a general |
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election instead of appointed by the governor. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 6.052, Water Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 6.052. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD; ELECTION [APPOINTMENT]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 6.052(a), Water Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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[(a)] The board is composed of 16 [three] members who are |
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elected by the qualified voters of the regional water planning area |
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in which the member is running on the uniform election date in |
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November authorized by Section 41.001, Election Code [appointed by |
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the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. One member |
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must have experience in the field of engineering, one member must |
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have experience in the field of public or private finance, and one |
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member must have experience in the field of law or business]. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 6.053(a), (b), and (d), Water Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Members of the board must be members of the general |
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public who have experience in the fields of engineering, public or |
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private finance, or law or business. |
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(b) A person is not eligible for election [appointment] to |
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the board if the person or the person's spouse: |
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(1) is employed by or participates in the management |
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of a business entity or other organization regulated by the board or |
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receiving funds from the board; |
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(2) owns, controls, or has, directly or indirectly, |
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more than a 10 percent interest in a business entity or other |
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organization regulated by the board or receiving funds from the |
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board; or |
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(3) uses or receives a substantial amount of tangible |
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goods, services, or funds from the board. |
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(d) A person is not eligible for election [appointment] to |
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the board if the person served on the board on or before January 1, |
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2013. |
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SECTION 4. Section 6.054(a), Water Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) It is a ground for removal from the board that a member: |
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(1) does not have at the time of taking office the |
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qualifications required for election [appointment] to the board; |
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(2) does not maintain during service on the board the |
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qualifications required for election [appointment] to the board; |
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(3) is ineligible for membership under Sections 6.053, |
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6.057, and 6.058; |
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(4) cannot, because of illness or disability, |
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discharge the member's duties for a substantial part of the member's |
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term; or |
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(5) is absent from more than half of the regularly |
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scheduled board meetings that the member is eligible to attend |
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during a calendar year without an excuse approved by a majority vote |
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of the board. |
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SECTION 5. Section 6.056, Water Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 6.056. TERMS OF OFFICE. (a) The members of the board |
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hold office for staggered terms of six years[, with the term of one |
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member expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year]. Each member |
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holds office until a successor is elected [appointed] and has |
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qualified. |
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(b) A person elected [appointed] to the board may not serve |
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for more than two six-year terms. |
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SECTION 6. Section 6.059, Water Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 6.059. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The members of the board |
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[governor] shall elect [designate] one member as chairman of the |
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board [to serve at the will of the governor]. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 6.062(a) and (c), Water Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person who is elected [appointed] to and qualifies for |
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office as a member of the board may not vote, deliberate, or be |
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counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the board until |
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the person completes a training program that complies with this |
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section. |
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(c) A person elected [appointed] to the board is entitled to |
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reimbursement, as provided by the General Appropriations Act, for |
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the travel expenses incurred in attending the training program |
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regardless of whether the attendance at the program occurs before |
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or after the person qualifies for office. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 6.052(b) and (c), Water Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 9. (a) The Texas Water Development Board shall hold |
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an election to elect 16 directors as described by Section 6.052, |
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Water Code, as amended by this Act, on the uniform election date in |
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November 2026. |
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(b) At the first meeting of the members of the Texas Water |
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Development Board that follows the election of members under |
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Subsection (a) of this section, the members shall draw lots to |
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determine which four directors shall serve a term of two years, |
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which six directors shall serve a term of four years, and which six |
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directors shall serve a term of six years. Thereafter, all elected |
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members serve six-year terms. |
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(c) The terms of the members serving on the Texas Water |
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Development Board expire on the date the members elected under |
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Subsection (a) of this section have qualified. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025, but |
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only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, requiring the board members of |
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the Texas Water Development Board to be elected by the qualified |
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voters at a general election instead of appointed by the governor is |
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approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the |
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voters, this Act has no effect. |