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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the confidentiality of certain water well reports. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 36.111, Water Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 36.111. RECORDS AND REPORTS; CONFIDENTIALITY. |
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SECTION 2. Section 36.111, Water Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) A groundwater withdrawal report submitted by the owner |
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or operator of a privately owned water well to a district that |
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requires withdrawal reporting under Subsection (b) is not subject |
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to public disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, if the |
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owner or operator of the well submits a written request to the |
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district in which the well is located to have the well's withdrawal |
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reports treated as confidential information. A district that |
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receives a request for confidentiality may release groundwater |
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production information contained in the reports only if the |
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information is summarized in a manner that prevents the |
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identification of individual well owners or operators or the parcel |
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of land on which a well is located. This subsection does not apply |
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to a well that is owned or operated by a public entity, including a |
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conservation and reclamation district operating under Section 59, |
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Article XVI, Texas Constitution, or a municipality. |
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SECTION 3. Section 36.111, Water Code, as amended by this |
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Act, applies only to a water well withdrawal report required to be |
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filed with a groundwater conservation district on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |