HBA-EDN H.B. 3045 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3045 By: Luna, Vilma Natural Resources 4/8/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the holder of a water right may not divert water from the holder's appropriation into wetlands for estuary enhancement without obtaining special authority from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC). Allowing owners of a right to appropriate water to divert water into wetlands under limited purposes and in accordance with the orders of TNRCC would enhance and benefit these estuaries. House Bill 3045 grants the authority to owners of a right to appropriate water of this state. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3045 amends the Water Code to authorize the owner of a right to appropriate water of the state, without obtaining an additional permit or authority, to divert water from its appropriation into wetlands for enhancement of estuaries if its permit to appropriate water provides for releases for the benefit of estuaries and the diversion is in accordance with an order issued by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission under the permit for the benefit of the estuaries. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.