By Wentworth                                          S.B. No. 1323
         76R8044 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring certain plats for the subdivision of land to
 1-3     include proof of groundwater supply.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 212, Local Government Code,
 1-6     is amended by adding Section 212.0101 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 212.0101.  ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:  USE OF GROUNDWATER.
 1-8     (a)  The municipal authority responsible for approving plats may
 1-9     not approve a plat for the subdivision of a tract of land for which
1-10     the source of the water supply intended for the subdivision is
1-11     groundwater under that land unless the plat application has
1-12     attached to it a statement that:
1-13                 (1)  is prepared by an engineer registered to practice
1-14     in this state; and
1-15                 (2)  certifies that adequate groundwater is available
1-16     for the subdivision.
1-17           (b)  The statement must be in a form acceptable to and must
1-18     be approved by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
1-19           SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government Code,
1-20     is amended by adding Section 232.0031 to read as follows:
1-21           Sec. 232.0031.  ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:  USE OF GROUNDWATER.
1-22     (a)  The commissioners court of a county may not approve a plat for
1-23     the subdivision of a tract of land for which the source of the
1-24     water supply intended for the subdivision is groundwater under that
 2-1     land unless the plat application has attached to it a statement
 2-2     that:
 2-3                 (1)  is prepared by an engineer registered to practice
 2-4     in this state; and
 2-5                 (2)  certifies that adequate groundwater is available
 2-6     for the subdivision.
 2-7           (b)  The statement must be in a form acceptable to and must
 2-8     be approved by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-10     applies only to a plat for the subdivision of a tract of land that
2-11     is filed on or after that date.