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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the purposes for which the Texas Water Bank and the |
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Texas Water Trust may accept and hold water rights. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.028(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Consistent with Section 11.0235(b), Water Code, and the |
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department's duties and responsibilities, the department shall |
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encourage and facilitate the dedication of water rights in the |
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Texas Water Trust through lease, donation, purchase, or other means |
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of voluntary transfer for conservation or environmental needs, |
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including for the purpose of maintaining or improving: |
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(1) water supply management; |
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(2) instream flows; |
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(3) [(2)] water quality; |
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(4) [(3)] fish and wildlife habitat; and |
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(5) [(4)] bay and estuary inflows. |
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SECTION 2. Section 15.703(a), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board may take all actions necessary to operate the |
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water bank and to facilitate the transfer of water rights from the |
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water bank for future beneficial use including but not limited to: |
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(1) negotiating a sale price and terms acceptable to |
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the depositor and purchaser; |
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(2) maintaining a registry of water bank deposits and |
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those water users in need of additional supplies; |
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(3) informing water users in need of additional supply |
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of water rights available in the bank; |
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(4) encouraging water right holders to implement water |
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conservation practices and deposit the right to use the conserved |
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water into the bank; |
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(5) establishing requirements for deposit of a water |
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right into the water bank including minimum terms for deposit; |
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(6) purchasing, holding, and transferring water or |
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water rights in its own name; |
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(7) establishing regional water banks; |
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(8) acting as a clearinghouse for water marketing |
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information including water availability, pricing of water |
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transactions, environmental considerations, and potential buyers |
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and sellers of water rights; |
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(9) preparing and publishing a manual on structuring |
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water transactions; |
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(10) accepting and holding donations of water rights |
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to meet conservation or environmental needs, including water supply |
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management, instream flow, water quality, fish and wildlife |
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habitat, or bay and estuary inflow needs; |
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(11) entering into contracts with persons to pay for |
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feasibility studies or the preparation of plans and specifications |
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relating to water conservation efforts or to estimate the amount of |
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water that would be saved through conservation efforts; and |
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(12) other actions to facilitate water transactions. |
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SECTION 3. Section 15.7031(a), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Water Trust is established within the water |
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bank to hold water rights dedicated to conservation or |
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environmental needs, including water supply management, instream |
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flow [flows], water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, or bay and |
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estuary inflow needs [inflows]. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |