Bill > SB1959

This bill modifies the authority of the North Texas Groundwater Conservation District by requiring the district to consider whether a proposed water well use includes providing water to a pond or lake larger than two acres for landscape enhancement purposes when reviewing permit applications. Specifically, the bill adds a new section to the Special District Local Laws Code that mandates the district evaluate this specific factor before granting or denying a water use permit or permit amendment. The new provision applies only to permit applications submitted on or after the bill's effective date, which will be either immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature or on September 1, 2025, if the immediate vote threshold is not met. This bill appears designed to ensure that landscape aesthetic considerations are explicitly taken into account during the groundwater permit review process for this specific district, potentially giving additional context to permit decisions related to large decorative water features.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1959