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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appointment of a watermaster for the Brazos River |
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Basin; providing for a limitation on certain fees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 11.325, Water Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 11.325. WATER DIVISIONS. (a) Subject to Subsection |
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(b), the [The] commission shall divide the state into water |
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divisions for the purpose of administering adjudicated water |
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rights. Water divisions may be created from time to time as the |
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necessity arises. The divisions shall be constituted to secure the |
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best protection to the holders of water rights and the most |
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economical supervision on the part of the state. |
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(b) The commission shall create a water division that |
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includes the entire Brazos River Basin. |
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SECTION 2. Section 11.326(a), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The executive director: |
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(1) shall appoint a watermaster for the water division |
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created under Section 11.325(b); and |
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(2) may appoint one watermaster for each other water |
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division. |
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SECTION 3. Section 11.329, Water Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) The commission shall hold a public hearing on the |
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proposed fiscal year budget for each watermaster operation. The |
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commission shall determine the apportionment of the costs of |
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administration of adjudicated water rights among the holders of the |
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rights. After a public hearing, the commission shall issue an order |
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assessing the annual cost against the holders of water rights to |
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whom the water will be distributed under the final decree. Subject |
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to Subsection (c-1), the [The] commission shall equitably apportion |
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the costs. The executive director may provide for payments in |
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installments and shall specify the dates by which payments shall be |
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made to the commission. At the request of the watermaster advisory |
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committee the commission may modify a fiscal year budget for any |
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water division. |
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(c-1) An annual fee assessed by the commission to fund the |
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Brazos River watermaster program may not: |
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(1) exceed $120 for the holder of a right to |
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appropriate water from the Brazos River solely for agricultural |
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use; or |
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(2) be assessed against a person who takes water |
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solely for domestic or livestock purposes. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |