| 1 | 1 | | 88R19965 KBB-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Kacal, Price, Lalani, et al. H.B. No. 3990 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study of existing surface water and groundwater |
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| 8 | 8 | | interaction data and analyses. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (1) "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board. |
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| 12 | 12 | | (2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on |
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| 13 | 13 | | Environmental Quality. |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 2. SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER DATA ANALYSIS. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) The board, in cooperation with the commission, shall conduct a |
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| 16 | 16 | | study to: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) compile and review data and analyses from existing |
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| 18 | 18 | | studies conducted on the interaction between surface water and |
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| 19 | 19 | | groundwater in this state; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) identify areas of the state where there is a strong |
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| 21 | 21 | | degree of interaction between surface water and groundwater; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) identify areas of the state where there is a lack |
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| 23 | 23 | | of data regarding or there are inadequate models of the interaction |
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| 24 | 24 | | between surface water and groundwater; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (4) in areas with a strong degree of interaction |
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| 26 | 26 | | between surface water and groundwater and where available data are |
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| 27 | 27 | | lacking or models are inadequate, determine a method to prioritize: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (A) additional data collection, including |
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| 29 | 29 | | streamflow gain-loss studies and long-term monitoring of |
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| 30 | 30 | | springflows; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (B) updates of models and improvements to the |
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| 32 | 32 | | modeling of the interaction between surface water and groundwater. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) The board and the commission may coordinate with |
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| 34 | 34 | | groundwater conservation districts, river authorities, |
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| 35 | 35 | | governmental entities, and institutions of higher education in |
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| 36 | 36 | | compiling and reviewing existing data and analyses on the |
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| 37 | 37 | | interaction between surface water and groundwater in this state. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2024, the |
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| 39 | 39 | | board and the commission shall deliver to the governor, the |
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| 40 | 40 | | lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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| 41 | 41 | | and each member of the legislature a report summarizing the |
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| 42 | 42 | | findings and recommendations of the board and the commission based |
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| 43 | 43 | | on the study conducted under Section 2 of this Act. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2025. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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| 46 | 46 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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| 47 | 47 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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| 48 | 48 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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| 49 | 49 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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