| 5 | 3 | | |
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| 6 | 4 | | |
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| 7 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 7 | | relating to the use of certain groundwater export fees collected by |
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| 10 | 8 | | a groundwater conservation district. |
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| 11 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 36.207, Water Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 11 | | amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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| 14 | 12 | | follows: |
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| 15 | 13 | | (b) A district may use funds obtained from the amount that |
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| 16 | 14 | | an export fee is increased under Section 36.122(e-1) on or after |
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| 17 | 15 | | January 1, 2024, only for costs related to assessing and addressing |
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| 18 | 16 | | impacts associated with groundwater development, including: |
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| 19 | 17 | | (1) maintaining operability of wells significantly |
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| 20 | 18 | | affected by groundwater development, including wells located |
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| 21 | 19 | | outside the district; |
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| 22 | 20 | | (2) developing or distributing alternative water |
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| 23 | 21 | | supplies; and |
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| 24 | 22 | | (3) conducting aquifer monitoring, data collection, |
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| 25 | 23 | | and aquifer science. |
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| 26 | 24 | | (c) A district may use funds described by Subsection (b) to |
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| 27 | 25 | | maintain the operability of wells described by Subsection (b)(1) |
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| 28 | 26 | | that are located in another district only if the district enters |
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| 29 | 27 | | into an interlocal contract under Chapter 791, Government Code, |
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| 30 | 28 | | with the other district authorizing the funds to be used for that |
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| 31 | 29 | | purpose. |
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| 32 | 30 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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