Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1907 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Perry S.B. No. 1907
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read
3	3	first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water, and
4	4	Rural Affairs; April 22, 2015, reported favorably by the following
5	5	vote: Yeas 5, Nays 1; April 22, 2015, sent to printer.)
6	6	Click here to see the committee vote
7	7
8	8
9	9	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	10	AN ACT
11	11	relating to a study conducted by the Texas Water Development Board
12	12	regarding the development of a market and conveyance network for
13	13	water in this state.
14	14	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	15	SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds
16	16	that:
17	17	(1) water is a valuable part of the natural capital of
18	18	the state, serving vital economic, environmental, and social
19	19	purposes;
20	20	(2) the growing water needs of the state require using
21	21	water in an efficient manner and increasing the economic,
22	22	environmental, and social productivity of water;
23	23	(3) the efficient use of water often requires the
24	24	reallocation of water entitlements from one water user to another
25	25	and the conveyance of water from one geographic location to
26	26	another; and
27	27	(4) improving the efficient use of water in the state
28	28	may be promoted by improving the laws regarding water transfers and
29	29	markets and by constructing and operating an integrated network of
30	30	water conveyance infrastructure.
31	31	SECTION 2. DEFINITION. In this Act, "board" means the
32	32	Texas Water Development Board.
33	33	SECTION 3. STUDY. (a) The board shall conduct a study to
34	34	evaluate improvements to the transfer of water entitlements in this
35	35	state and the establishment of a water grid, including an
36	36	integrated network of pipelines, pumping stations, reservoirs, and
37	37	other works for the conveyance of water between river basins, water
38	38	sources, and areas of water use in the state.
39	39	(b) In conducting the study, the board shall:
40	40	(1) review studies previously conducted as part of the
41	41	state water planning process or otherwise;
42	42	(2) identify the necessary and useful features of an
43	43	efficient market for water, including water rights, institutions,
44	44	and infrastructure;
45	45	(3) examine case studies of water markets in other
46	46	jurisdictions both within and outside the United States;
47	47	(4) identify and evaluate potential sources of water
48	48	for the market and the water grid;
49	49	(5) identify and evaluate potential areas of use for
50	50	water delivered by the water grid, including areas of water use for
51	51	municipal, industrial, agricultural irrigation, recreational,
52	52	environmental, and other purposes;
53	53	(6) evaluate alternative facilities with varying
54	54	capacities, source and delivery points, and alignments, including
55	55	subsea alignments, and whether the water grid should convey treated
56	56	or untreated water in each conveyance reach;
57	57	(7) develop a strategy for the water grid that will
58	58	achieve optimal results for water use efficiency, water supply
59	59	reliability, economic efficiency, the functioning of a market for
60	60	water transfers, and the protection and enhancement of water
61	61	rights, investments, and the natural environment;
62	62	(8) connect the establishment, construction,
63	63	operation, and management of the water grid to the state water
64	64	planning process;
65	65	(9) evaluate alternative methods for ownership,
66	66	construction, operation, maintenance, control, and financing of
67	67	the water grid, including:
68	68	(A) ownership by a state agency;
69	69	(B) ownership by one or more special-purpose
70	70	districts or authorities created under Section 59, Article XVI,
71	71	Texas Constitution, for the purpose of providing wholesale water
72	72	supply, improvement, management, or transportation, including
73	73	river authorities and regional districts;
74	74	(C) ownership by a public utility;
75	75	(D) operation as a state-awarded concession;
76	76	(E) operation as a public-private partnership;
77	77	(F) development by private enterprises in a
78	78	competitive market; and
79	79	(G) development similar to other integrated
80	80	networks for the conveyance of natural resources;
81	81	(10) identify and evaluate methods to fund the
82	82	establishment of a water grid, including the appropriation of funds
83	83	or the issuance of bonds by the state or a state agency and state
84	84	participation in ownership of the facilities, the issuance of bonds
85	85	or participation by one or more entities described by Subdivision
86	86	(9)(B) of this subsection, the issuance of private activity bonds,
87	87	and the use of private investment capital;
88	88	(11) evaluate methods of incorporating existing water
89	89	conveyance infrastructure into a water grid, including:
90	90	(A) purchasing all or a portion of the water
91	91	conveyance infrastructure from the owners of that infrastructure;
92	92	and
93	93	(B) requiring that public agency and public
94	94	utility owners of water conveyance infrastructure make unutilized
95	95	or underutilized capacity available in that infrastructure, on
96	96	payment to the owner of reimbursable costs plus a reasonable return
97	97	on investment;
98	98	(12) consult with the Texas Commission on
99	99	Environmental Quality, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the
100	100	Railroad Commission of Texas, and the General Land Office; and
101	101	(13) offer the public an opportunity to submit written
102	102	comments on the study for consideration by the board, with a comment
103	103	period lasting at least 30 days following publication of a draft
104	104	report.
105	105	SECTION 4. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2016, the
106	106	board shall submit to the legislature a final written report
107	107	containing the findings of the study conducted under this Act and
108	108	the board's recommendations for any legislation or other action
109	109	necessary to implement the program described by Section 3(a) of
110	110	this Act.
111	111	SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2017.
112	112	SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
113	113	immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
114	114	elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
115	115	Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
116	116	immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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