Bill Caption

Relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

HB 1066 would streamline the permit for the renewal or extension process for groundwater conservation districts to transfer water. The bill would also stipulate that an application may only be approved or denied based on the rules in effect at the time the application was submitted. A permit extension would be required to be for a term that is not shorter than the term of an operating permit for the production of water to be transferred that is in effect at the time of the extension. This would to ensure that the export and operating permits are concurrently valid. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

HB 1066 supports limited government and property rights by making groundwater permitting processes more transparent and predictable, and by making it more difficult for the permit extension process to be manipulated to unnecessarily delay or deny permit applications. For these reasons, Texas Action supports HB 1066.