HBA-BSM H.B. 3676 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3676
By: Chisum
Natural Resources
4/16/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Collingsworth County Underground Water Conservation District (district)
was created by the legislature in 1985.  The current members of the
district's board of directors are asking that the organization of the board
be changed so that the board  continues to have five members but no longer
has a member-atlarge, with board members representing a "district zone" in
which they would be required to own property.  Adjoining areas have also
expressed interest in joining the district but the district's enabling
legislation does not allow for the expansion of the board membership to
represent the added areas.  House Bill 3676 authorizes the Collingsworth
County Water Conservation District to compensate for annexed contiguous
territory by redrawing the districts or adding a member to the board of
directors.      

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 3676 amends law to authorize the Collingsworth County
Underground Water Conservation District (district) to call an election to
approve the levy and collection of an ad valorem tax to secure bonds issued
by the district or a maintenance and operation tax.  The bill provides that
if the district annexes additional territory, the board of directors is
authorized to add the annexed territory to one or more existing
single-member districts for purposes of electing directors, redraw the five
single-member districts to include the annexed territory, or add a sixth
single-member district for the election of an additional director.  The
bill also requires that the board provide for one director to be elected
from each of the single-member districts and that the board elections be
held on a uniform election day in even-numbered years.    

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.