By: Isaac (Senate Sponsor - Campbell) H.B. No. 3903
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2013;
  May 9, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
  Resources; May 17, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 17, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District;
  providing authority to increase certain fees; authorizing a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 8843.051(b), Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  Directors serve staggered four-year [two-year] terms.
         SECTION 2.  Section 8843.053, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 8843.053.  ELECTION DATE.  On the uniform election date
  in November [May] of each even-numbered year, the appropriate
  number of directors shall be elected.
         SECTION 3.  Section 8843.103, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 8843.103.  WELL CONSTRUCTION NOTIFICATION
  [PERMIT]. Notwithstanding Section 8843.104, a landowner must
  notify the district before [Except as provided by Sections
  8843.104(b) and (c), the district may require a permit for] the
  construction of a new well that is to be completed after September
  1, 2013 [2001].
         SECTION 4.  Section 8843.104, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding
  Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  Groundwater withdrawals from the [The] following wells
  [are exempt from the requirements of Chapter 36, Water Code, and]
  may not be regulated, permitted, or metered by the district:
               (1)  a well used for domestic use by a single private
  residential household and incapable of producing more [less] than
  25,000 gallons per day; and
               (2)  a well used for conventional farming and ranching
  activities, including such intensive operations as aquaculture,
  livestock feedlots, or poultry operations.
         (b)  The district may not charge or collect a well
  construction fee for [require a permit to construct] a well
  described by Subsection (a)(2).
         (b-1)  A well owner must obtain a permit and pay any required
  fees, including a well construction fee, before using any
  groundwater withdrawn from a well for purposes other than those
  exempted by this section.
         SECTION 5.  Section 8843.151, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 8843.151.  WELL CONSTRUCTION [PERMIT] FEE.  The
  district may charge and collect a new well construction [permit]
  fee not to exceed $1,000 [$300] for a new well [for which the
  district requires a permit under Section 8843.103].
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter D, Chapter 8843, Special District
  Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 8843.1515 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 8843.1515.  PERMIT RENEWAL APPLICATION FEE. The
  district may charge and collect a permit renewal application fee
  not to exceed $400.
         SECTION 7.  Section 8843.152(b), Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The district may levy and collect a water utility
  service connection fee not to exceed $1,000 [$300] for each new
  water service connection made after September 1, 2013 [2001].
         SECTION 8.  Sections 8843.102 and 8843.155, Special District
  Local Laws Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 9.  Section 8843.151, Special District Local Laws
  Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a well for which
  construction begins on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
  well for which construction begins before that date is governed by
  the law in effect when the construction began, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 10.  The change in law made by Section 8843.1515,
  Special District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act, applies only
  to an application for the renewal of a permit submitted to the Hays
  Trinity Groundwater Conservation District after September 1, 2013.
  An application submitted before that date is governed by the law in
  effect on the date the application was submitted, and the former law
  is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 11.  To establish staggered four-year terms of
  office as required by Sections 8843.051(b) and 8843.053, Special
  District Local Laws Code, as amended by this Act, a director elected
  in November 2012 shall serve a term expiring December 1, 2014, and a
  director elected in November 2013 shall serve a term expiring
  December 1, 2016.
         SECTION 12.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
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