| 1 | 1 | | By: Zwiener H.B. No. 3953 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the adoption of a water conservation program by a |
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| 7 | 7 | | county. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 562, Local Government Code, is amended |
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| 10 | 10 | | by adding Subchapter C to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SUBCHAPTER C. WATER CONSERVATION |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 562.051. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | Definitions. In this section: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Agricultural operation" has the meaning assigned |
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| 15 | 15 | | by Section 251.002, Agriculture Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) "Priority groundwater management area" has the |
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| 17 | 17 | | meaning assigned by Section 35.002, Water Code. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) This section applies to a county that has territory |
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| 19 | 19 | | within a priority groundwater management area. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (c) The commissioners court of a county by order may adopt a |
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| 21 | 21 | | water conservation program. A water conservation program adopted |
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| 22 | 22 | | under this section may establish for the unincorporated area of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | county or areas within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a city |
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| 24 | 24 | | only: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) rules for residential water use restrictions; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) water conservation standards applicable to the |
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| 27 | 27 | | residential development of a subdivision of a tract of land, the |
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| 28 | 28 | | development of which begins after August 31, 2023. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) Water use restrictions established under Subsection |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c)(1) may not apply to an agricultural operation. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (e) To the extent of a conflict between a county order |
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| 32 | 32 | | adopted under this section and a municipal ordinance regulating the |
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| 33 | 33 | | same conduct, the ordinance prevails. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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