Bill > HB3433

This bill modifies the fee structure for the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District by updating terminology and clarifying fee assessment rules. The bill changes "regulatory pumping" fees to "production" fees and explicitly authorizes the district to assess production fees under specific sections of the Water Code, including both production and export fees. The bill maintains existing fee limits, specifically capping agricultural water production fees at no more than 20 percent of municipal water use rates, and setting maximum rates of $1 per acre-foot for agricultural crop irrigation and 17 cents per thousand gallons for other purposes. The legislation also retroactively ratifies and validates all mitigation payments and fees assessed before the bill's effective date. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in both legislative houses, or otherwise will become effective on September 1, 2025. These changes provide more precise legal language for fee assessment by the groundwater conservation district while preserving the fundamental fee structure.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3433