Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1392 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Perry S.B. No. 1392
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2017; March 16, 2017, read
3	3	first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural
4	4	Affairs; May 10, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable
5	5	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 2;
6	6	May 10, 2017, sent to printer.)
7	7	Click here to see the committee vote
8	8	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1392 By: Hinojosa
9	9
10	10
11	11	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
12	12	AN ACT
13	13	relating to groundwater conservation districts.
14	14	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	15	SECTION 1. Sections 36.001(2) and (7), Water Code, are
16	16	amended to read as follows:
17	17	(2) "Commission" means the Texas [Natural Resource
18	18	Conservation] Commission on Environmental Quality or its
19	19	successor.
20	20	(7) "Subdivision of a groundwater reservoir" means a
21	21	definable part of a groundwater reservoir in which the groundwater
22	22	supply will not be appreciably affected by withdrawing water from
23	23	any other part of the reservoir, as indicated by known geological
24	24	and hydrological conditions and relationships [and on foreseeable
25	25	economic development] at the time the subdivision is designated or
26	26	altered.
27	27	SECTION 2. Section 36.0015(b), Water Code, is amended to
28	28	read as follows:
29	29	(b) In order to provide for the conservation, preservation,
30	30	protection, recharging, and prevention of waste of groundwater, and
31	31	of groundwater reservoirs or their subdivisions, and to control
32	32	subsidence caused by withdrawal of water from those groundwater
33	33	reservoirs or their subdivisions, consistent with the objectives of
34	34	Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, groundwater
35	35	conservation districts may be created as provided by this chapter.
36	36	Groundwater conservation districts created as provided by this
37	37	chapter are the state's preferred method of groundwater management
38	38	in order to:
39	39	(1) protect property rights;
40	40	(2) [,] balance the conservation and development of
41	41	groundwater to meet the needs of this state;
42	42	(3) [, and] use the best available science; and
43	43	(4) treat each groundwater owner fairly [in the
44	44	conservation and development of groundwater through rules
45	45	developed, adopted, and promulgated by a district in accordance
46	46	with the provisions of this chapter].
47	47	SECTION 3. Sections 36.002(a) and (b), Water Code, are
48	48	amended to read as follows:
49	49	(a) A [The legislature recognizes that a] landowner owns the
50	50	groundwater below the surface of the landowner's land as real
51	51	property.
52	52	(b) The groundwater ownership and rights described by this
53	53	section entitle the landowner, including a landowner's lessees,
54	54	heirs, or assigns, to:
55	55	(1) drill for and produce the groundwater below the
56	56	surface of real property, subject to Subsection (d), without
57	57	causing waste or malicious drainage of other property or
58	58	negligently causing subsidence; [and]
59	59	(2) the right to use groundwater for a beneficial use
60	60	without causing waste; and
61	61	(3) [have] any other right recognized under common
62	62	law.
63	63	SECTION 4. Section 36.020(a), Water Code, is amended to
64	64	read as follows:
65	65	(a) At an election to create a district, the temporary
66	66	directors may include a proposition for the issuance of bonds or
67	67	notes, the levy of taxes to retire all or part of the bonds or notes,
68	68	and the levy of a maintenance tax. The maintenance tax rate may not
69	69	exceed 37.5 [50] cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.
70	70	SECTION 5. Section 36.062, Water Code, is amended to read as
71	71	follows:
72	72	Sec. 36.062. OFFICES AND MEETING PLACES. (a) The board
73	73	shall designate from time to time and maintain one or more regular
74	74	offices for conducting the business of the district and maintaining
75	75	the records of the district. Such offices must be reasonably
76	76	accessible to members of the public who reside in the district and
77	77	may be located either inside or outside the district's boundaries
78	78	as determined in the discretion of the board.
79	79	(b) The board shall designate one or more places reasonably
80	80	accessible to members of the public who reside in the district
81	81	inside or outside the district for conducting the meetings of the
82	82	board.
83	83	SECTION 6. Section 36.101(c), Water Code, is amended to
84	84	read as follows:
85	85	(c) The board shall compile its rules and make them
86	86	available for use and inspection at each of the district's offices
87	87	[principal office].
88	88	SECTION 7. Sections 36.1071(e) and (f), Water Code, are
89	89	amended to read as follows:
90	90	(e) In the management plan described under Subsection (a),
91	91	the district shall:
92	92	(1) identify the performance standards and management
93	93	objectives under which the district will operate to achieve the
94	94	management goals identified under Subsection (a);
95	95	(2) specify, in as much detail as possible, the
96	96	actions, procedures, performance, and avoidance that are or may be
97	97	necessary to effect the plan, including specifications and proposed
98	98	rules; and
99	99	(3) include estimates of the following:
100	100	(A) modeled available groundwater in the
101	101	district based on the desired future condition established under
102	102	Section 36.108;
103	103	(B) the amount of groundwater being used within
104	104	the district on an annual basis;
105	105	(C) the annual amount of recharge from
106	106	precipitation, if any, to the groundwater resources within the
107	107	district;
108	108	(D) for each aquifer, the estimated annual volume
109	109	of water that discharges:
110	110	(i) from the aquifer to springs and any
111	111	surface water bodies, including lakes, streams, and rivers; and
112	112	(ii) through evaporation or transpiration;
113	113	and
114	114	(E) the annual volume of lateral and vertical
115	115	flow into and out of the district within each aquifer and between
116	116	aquifers in the district[, if a groundwater availability model is
117	117	available;
118	118	[(F) the projected surface water supply in the
119	119	district according to the most recently adopted state water plan;
120	120	and
121	121	[(G) the projected total demand for water in the
122	122	district according to the most recently adopted state water plan;
123	123	and
124	124	[(4) consider the water supply needs and water
125	125	management strategies included in the adopted state water plan].
126	126	(f) The district shall adopt rules necessary to implement
127	127	the management plan. Prior to the development of the management
128	128	plan and its approval under Section 36.1072, the district may not
129	129	adopt rules other than rules pertaining to the registration and
130	130	interim permitting of new and existing wells and rules governing
131	131	spacing and procedure before the district's board; however, the
132	132	district may not adopt any rules limiting the production of wells,
133	133	except rules requiring that groundwater produced from a well be put
134	134	to a nonwasteful, beneficial use. A newly created [The] district
135	135	may accept applications for permits under Section 36.113, provided
136	136	the district does not act on any such application until the
137	137	district's initial management plan is approved as provided in
138	138	Section 36.1072.
139	139	SECTION 8. Section 36.108, Water Code, is amended by
140	140	amending Subsections (c), (d), (d-3), and (d-4) and adding
141	141	Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows:
142	142	(c) The district representatives shall meet at least
143	143	annually to conduct joint planning with the other districts in the
144	144	management area and to review the management plans, the
145	145	accomplishments of the management area, and proposals to adopt new
146	146	or amend existing desired future conditions. In reviewing the
147	147	management plans, the districts shall consider:
148	148	(1) the goals of each management plan and its impact on
149	149	planning throughout the management area;
150	150	(2) the effectiveness of the measures established by
151	151	each district's management plan for conserving and protecting
152	152	groundwater and preventing waste, and the effectiveness of these
153	153	measures in the management area generally;
154	154	(3) any other matters that the boards consider
155	155	relevant to the protection and conservation of groundwater and the
156	156	prevention of waste in the management area; and
157	157	(4) the degree to which [each management plan
158	158	achieves] the desired future conditions in the management area are
159	159	being achieved [established during the joint planning process].
160	160	(c-1) Districts in a management area jointly shall
161	161	delineate the boundaries of each subdivision of a groundwater
162	162	reservoir in the management area, using the best available science.
163	163	On request by a district, the development board shall provide
164	164	technical assistance with the development of the initial boundaries
165	165	and any subsequent updates to the boundaries of a subdivision. The
166	166	delineated boundaries of each subdivision must be updated as
167	167	necessary to accurately reflect the actual boundaries.
168	168	(c-2) Under Subsection (c-1), a district:
169	169	(1) may take into consideration conditions that differ
170	170	substantially from one geographic area to another in delineating
171	171	boundaries of a subdivision of a groundwater reservoir;
172	172	(2) shall report to the development board the surface
173	173	level boundaries of a subdivision of a groundwater reservoir using
174	174	metes and bounds; and
175	175	(3) shall maintain in each office of the districts in
176	176	the management area copies of the delineations of the subdivisions
177	177	of groundwater reservoirs and the report made under Subdivision
178	178	(2).
179	179	(d) Not later than September 1, 2010, and every five years
180	180	thereafter, the districts shall consider groundwater monitoring
181	181	data, groundwater availability models, and other data or
182	182	information for the management area and shall propose for adoption
183	183	desired future conditions for the relevant aquifers within the
184	184	management area. Before voting on the proposed desired future
185	185	conditions of the aquifers under Subsection (d-2), the districts
186	186	shall consider:
187	187	(1) aquifer uses or conditions within the management
188	188	area, including conditions that differ substantially from one
189	189	geographic area to another;
190	190	(2) the water supply needs and water management
191	191	strategies included in the state water plan;
192	192	(3) hydrological conditions, including for each
193	193	aquifer in the management area the total estimated recoverable
194	194	storage as provided by the executive administrator, and the average
195	195	annual recharge, inflows, and discharge;
196	196	(4) other environmental impacts, including impacts on
197	197	spring flow and other interactions between groundwater and surface
198	198	water;
199	199	(5) the impact on subsidence;
200	200	(6) socioeconomic impacts reasonably expected to
201	201	occur;
202	202	(7) the impact on the interests and rights in private
203	203	property, including ownership and the rights of management area
204	204	landowners and their lessees and assigns in groundwater as
205	205	recognized under Section 36.002;
206	206	(8) the feasibility of achieving the desired future
207	207	condition and the degree to which any previously adopted desired
208	208	future condition is being achieved; and
209	209	(9) any other information relevant to the specific
210	210	desired future conditions.
211	211	(d-3) After the earlier of the date on which all the
212	212	districts have submitted their district summaries or the expiration
213	213	of the public comment period under Subsection (d-2), the district
214	214	representatives shall reconvene to review the reports, consider any
215	215	district's suggested revisions to the proposed desired future
216	216	conditions, and finally adopt the desired future conditions for the
217	217	management area. The desired future conditions must be approved by
218	218	[adopted as] a resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of all the
219	219	district representatives not later than the 90th day after the date
220	220	the public comment period expires. Not later than the 180th day
221	221	after the expiration of the public comment period, the [The]
222	222	district representatives shall produce a desired future conditions
223	223	explanatory report for the management area and submit to the
224	224	development board and each district in the management area proof
225	225	that notice was posted for the joint planning meeting, a copy of the
226	226	resolution, and a copy of the explanatory report. The report must:
227	227	(1) identify each desired future condition;
228	228	(2) provide the policy and technical justifications
229	229	for each desired future condition;
230	230	(3) include documentation that the factors under
231	231	Subsection (d) were considered by the districts and a discussion of
232	232	how the adopted desired future conditions impact each factor;
233	233	(4) list other desired future condition options
234	234	considered, if any, and the reasons why those options were not
235	235	adopted; and
236	236	(5) discuss reasons why recommendations made by
237	237	advisory committees and relevant public comments received by the
238	238	districts were or were not incorporated into the desired future
239	239	conditions.
240	240	(d-4) Not later than the 180th day after the date the public
241	241	comment period expires, the district shall submit the explanatory
242	242	report under Subsection (d-3) to the development board and [As soon
243	243	as possible after a district receives the desired future conditions
244	244	resolution and explanatory report under Subsection (d-3), the
245	245	district shall] adopt the desired future conditions in the
246	246	resolution required by Subsection (d-3) and the explanatory report
247	247	that apply to the district.
248	248	SECTION 9. Section 36.1083(e), Water Code, is amended to
249	249	read as follows:
250	250	(e) Not later than the 10th day after receiving a petition
251	251	described by Subsection (b), the district shall submit a copy of the
252	252	petition to the development board and to each district in the
253	253	management area. On receipt of the petition, the development board
254	254	shall conduct:
255	255	(1) an administrative review to determine whether the
256	256	desired future condition established by the district meets the
257	257	criteria in Section 36.108(d); and
258	258	(2) a study containing scientific and technical
259	259	analysis of the desired future condition, including consideration
260	260	of:
261	261	(A) the hydrogeology of the aquifer;
262	262	(B) the explanatory report provided to the
263	263	development board under Section 36.108(d-3);
264	264	(C) the factors described under Section
265	265	36.108(d); and
266	266	(D) any relevant:
267	267	(i) groundwater availability models;
268	268	(ii) published studies;
269	269	(iii) estimates of total recoverable
270	270	storage capacity;
271	271	(iv) average annual amounts of recharge,
272	272	inflows, and discharge of groundwater; or
273	273	(v) information provided in the petition or
274	274	available to the development board.
275	275	SECTION 10. Section 36.113(d), Water Code, is amended to
276	276	read as follows:
277	277	(d) This subsection does not apply to the renewal of an
278	278	operating permit issued under Section 36.1145. Before granting or
279	279	denying a permit, or a permit amendment issued in accordance with
280	280	Section 36.1146, the district shall consider whether:
281	281	(1) the application conforms to the requirements
282	282	prescribed by this chapter and is accompanied by the prescribed
283	283	fees;
284	284	(2) for each water well, the proposed spacing of the
285	285	wells conforms to the district's rules regulating the spacing of
286	286	wells under Section 36.116;
287	287	(3) the proposed use of water unreasonably affects
288	288	existing groundwater and surface water resources or existing permit
289	289	holders;
290	290	(4) the proposed annual production conforms to the
291	291	district's rules regulating the groundwater production of wells
292	292	under Section 36.116;
293	293	(5) [(3)] the proposed use of water is dedicated to
294	294	any beneficial use;
295	295	(6) [(4) the proposed use of water is consistent with
296	296	the district's approved management plan;
297	297	[(5)] if the well will be located in the Hill Country
298	298	Priority Groundwater Management Area, the proposed use of water
299	299	from the well is wholly or partly to provide water to a pond, lake,
300	300	or reservoir to enhance the appearance of the landscape;
301	301	(7) [(6)] the applicant has agreed to avoid waste and
302	302	achieve water conservation; and
303	303	(8) [(7)] the applicant has agreed that reasonable
304	304	diligence will be used to protect groundwater quality and that the
305	305	applicant will follow well plugging guidelines at the time of well
306	306	closure.
307	307	SECTION 11. Section 36.1131(b), Water Code, is amended to
308	308	read as follows:
309	309	(b) The permit may include:
310	310	(1) the name and address of the person to whom the
311	311	permit is issued;
312	312	(2) the location of the well;
313	313	(3) the date the permit is to expire if no well is
314	314	drilled;
315	315	(4) a statement of the purpose for which the well is to
316	316	be used;
317	317	(5) a requirement that the water withdrawn under the
318	318	permit be put to beneficial use at all times;
319	319	(6) the location of the use of the water from the well;
320	320	(7) a water well closure plan or a declaration that the
321	321	applicant will comply with well plugging guidelines and report
322	322	closure to the commission;
323	323	(8) the conditions and restrictions[, if any,] placed
324	324	by district rules adopted under Section 36.116 on the rate and
325	325	amount of withdrawal;
326	326	(9) any conservation-oriented methods of drilling and
327	327	operating prescribed by the district;
328	328	(10) a drought contingency plan prescribed by the
329	329	district; and
330	330	(11) other terms and conditions as provided by Section
331	331	36.113.
332	332	SECTION 12. The heading to Section 36.1132, Water Code, is
333	333	amended to read as follows:
334	334	Sec. 36.1132. DISTRICT MANAGEMENT TO ACHIEVE DESIRED FUTURE
335	335	CONDITIONS [PERMITS BASED ON MODELED AVAILABLE GROUNDWATER].
336	336	SECTION 13. Section 36.1132, Water Code, is amended by
337	337	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to
338	338	read as follows:
339	339	(b) In issuing permits, the district shall manage total
340	340	groundwater production on a long-term basis to achieve an
341	341	applicable desired future condition and consider:
342	342	(1) the modeled available groundwater determined by
343	343	the executive administrator;
344	344	(2) preparing a report on the degree to which the
345	345	desired future conditions are being achieved in the one-year period
346	346	after the collection of monitoring data from an aquifer and the
347	347	relevant desired future conditions; and
348	348	(3) participating in a joint groundwater management
349	349	hearing if the report prepared under Subdivision (2) indicates the
350	350	desired future conditions are not being achieved.
351	351	(b-1) Not later than the second anniversary of the date of
352	352	the final adoption of a desired future condition under Section
353	353	36.108, and every five years thereafter, district representatives
354	354	in a management area shall develop a report as described by this
355	355	subsection. The districts shall maintain a copy of the report at
356	356	each district office. The report must:
357	357	(1) identify and compare the rules adopted under
358	358	Section 36.116 by each district in the management area; and
359	359	(2) identify differences in rules based on factors
360	360	considered in the establishment of desired future conditions
361	361	provided by Section 36.108 and the justification for those
362	362	differences in the rules.
363	363	(b-2) The joint groundwater management hearing held under
364	364	Subsection (b)(3) must include a public comment period on the
365	365	desired future conditions. During the joint groundwater management
366	366	hearing, the districts shall consider:
367	367	(1) [(2)] the executive administrator's estimate of
368	368	the current and projected amount of groundwater produced under
369	369	exemptions granted by district rules and Section 36.117;
370	370	(2) [(3)] the amount of groundwater authorized under
371	371	permits previously issued by the district;
372	372	(3) [(4)] a reasonable estimate of the amount of
373	373	groundwater that is actually produced under permits issued by the
374	374	district; and
375	375	(4) [(5)] yearly precipitation and production
376	376	patterns.
377	377	SECTION 14. Section 36.116(a), Water Code, is amended to
378	378	read as follows:
379	379	(a) In order to minimize as far as practicable the drawdown
380	380	of the water table or the reduction of artesian pressure, to control
381	381	subsidence, to prevent interference between wells, to prevent
382	382	degradation of water quality, or to prevent waste, a district by
383	383	rule may regulate:
384	384	(1) the spacing of water wells by:
385	385	(A) requiring all water wells to be spaced a
386	386	certain distance from property lines or adjoining wells; or
387	387	(B) requiring wells with a certain production
388	388	capacity, pump size, or other characteristic related to the
389	389	construction or operation of and production from a well to be spaced
390	390	a certain distance from property lines or adjoining wells; [or
391	391	[(C) imposing spacing requirements adopted by
392	392	the board;] and
393	393	(2) the production of groundwater by:
394	394	(A) setting production limits on wells;
395	395	(B) limiting the amount of water produced based
396	396	on acreage or tract size;
397	397	(C) limiting the amount of water that may be
398	398	produced from a defined number of acres assigned to an authorized
399	399	well site;
400	400	(D) limiting the maximum amount of water that may
401	401	be produced on the basis of acre-feet per acre or gallons per minute
402	402	per well site per acre;
403	403	(E) managed depletion; or
404	404	(F) any combination of the methods listed above
405	405	in Paragraphs (A) through (E).
406	406	SECTION 15. Sections 36.122(h) and (q), Water Code, are
407	407	amended to read as follows:
408	408	(h) In addition to conditions provided by Section 36.1131,
409	409	the permit shall specify:
410	410	(1) the maximum amount of water that may be
411	411	transferred out of the district; and
412	412	(2) the period for which the water may be transferred.
413	413	(q) In applying this section, a district must be fair,
414	414	impartial, and nondiscriminatory between the transfer of
415	415	groundwater outside of the district's boundaries and the use of
416	416	groundwater in the district.
417	417	SECTION 16. Section 36.201(b), Water Code, is amended to
418	418	read as follows:
419	419	(b) The board may annually levy taxes to pay the maintenance
420	420	and operating expenses of the district at a rate not to exceed 37.5
421	421	[50] cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.
422	422	SECTION 17. Section 36.205(f), Water Code, is amended to
423	423	read as follows:
424	424	(f) A district[, including a district described under
425	425	Subsection (d),] may assess a production fee under Subsection (c)
426	426	and an export fee under Subsection (g), if applicable, for any water
427	427	produced under an exemption under Section 36.117 if that water is
428	428	subsequently sold to another person.
429	429	SECTION 18. Section 36.207, Water Code, is amended to read
430	430	as follows:
431	431	Sec. 36.207. USE OF FEES. (a) A district may use funds
432	432	obtained from administrative or[,] production[, or export] fees
433	433	collected under a special law governing the district or this
434	434	chapter for any purpose consistent with the district's approved
435	435	management plan, including, without limitation, making grants,
436	436	loans, or contractual payments to achieve, facilitate, or expedite
437	437	reductions in groundwater pumping or the development or
438	438	distribution of alternative water supplies.
439	439	(b) A district may use funds obtained from export fees
440	440	collected under a special law governing the district or this
441	441	chapter only to enhance:
442	442	(1) monitoring, modeling, and data collection
443	443	regarding aquifers managed by the district; and
444	444	(2) research on the advancement of the scientific
445	445	understanding of a district's groundwater resources.
446	446	SECTION 19. Sections 36.4051(a) and (d), Water Code, are
447	447	amended to read as follows:
448	448	(a) The board may take action on any uncontested application
449	449	at a properly noticed public meeting held at any time after the
450	450	public hearing at which the application is scheduled to be heard.
451	451	The board may issue a written order to:
452	452	(1) grant the application;
453	453	(2) grant the application with special conditions
454	454	provided that the applicant agrees to the conditions before the
455	455	issuance of the order; or
456	456	(3) deny the application.
457	457	(d) An applicant may, not later than the 20th day after the
458	458	date the board issues an order granting or denying the application,
459	459	demand a contested case hearing [if the order:
460	460	[(1) includes special conditions that were not part of
461	461	the application as finally submitted; or
462	462	[(2) grants a maximum amount of groundwater production
463	463	that is less than the amount requested in the application].
464	464	SECTION 20. Section 8824.101, Special District Local Laws
465	465	Code, is amended to read as follows:
466	466	Sec. 8824.101. RESTRICTIONS ON GENERAL POWERS. Section
467	467	[Sections] 36.103 [and 36.104], Water Code, does [do] not apply to
468	468	the district.
469	469	SECTION 21. Section 8833.102, Special District Local Laws
470	470	Code, is amended to read as follows:
471	471	Sec. 8833.102. LIMITATIONS ON DISTRICT POWERS. The
472	472	district may not impose:
473	473	(1) a tax; [or]
474	474	(2) a fee on a well used exclusively for domestic or
475	475	livestock watering purposes; or
476	476	(3) production fees for an annual period greater than
477	477	$1 per acre-foot for water used for agricultural use or 17 cents per
478	478	thousand gallons for water used for any other purpose.
479	479	SECTION 22. Section 11, Chapter 1321, Acts of the 77th
480	480	Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, is amended by adding Subsection
481	481	(b-1) to read as follows:
482	482	(b-1) The district may not assess production fees for an
483	483	annual period greater than $1 per acre-foot for water used for
484	484	agricultural use or 17 cents per thousand gallons for water used for
485	485	any other purpose.
486	486	SECTION 23. The following provisions of the Water Code are
487	487	repealed:
488	488	(1) Section 36.001(31), as added by Chapter 415 (H.B.
489	489	2767), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015;
490	490	(2) Section 36.104;
491	491	(3) Section 36.1072(g);
492	492	(4) Section 36.108(d-5);
493	493	(5) Sections 36.122(m) and (n); and
494	494	(6) Section 36.205(d).
495	495	SECTION 24. Not later than September 1, 2019, a groundwater
496	496	conservation district in a management area under Section 36.108,
497	497	Water Code, as amended by this Act, shall meet and delineate the
498	498	initial boundaries of each subdivision of a groundwater reservoir
499	499	in the management area as required by Section 36.108(c-1), Water
500	500	Code, as added by this Act.
501	501	SECTION 25. As soon as practicable after the effective date
502	502	of this Act, each groundwater conservation district shall adopt
503	503	rules as necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.
504	504	SECTION 26. The changes in law made by this Act apply only
505	505	to an application for a permit or a permit amendment that is
506	506	received by a groundwater conservation district on or after the
507	507	effective date of this Act. An application for a permit or permit
508	508	amendment that is received before the effective date of this Act is
509	509	governed by the law in effect on the date the application is
510	510	received, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
511	511	SECTION 27. The changes in law made by this Act apply only
512	512	to a suit involving a groundwater conservation district that is
513	513	filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit filed
514	514	before the effective date of this Act is subject to the law in
515	515	effect on the date the suit is filed, and that law is continued in
516	516	effect for that purpose.
517	517	SECTION 28. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
518	518	* * * * *