89R7958 KRM-F     By: Johnson S.B. No. 1624       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the purposes for which the Texas Water Bank and the   Texas Water Trust may accept and hold water rights.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 12.028(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  Consistent with Section 11.0235(b), Water Code, and the   department's duties and responsibilities, the department shall   encourage and facilitate the dedication of water rights in the   Texas Water Trust through lease, donation, purchase, or other means   of voluntary transfer for conservation or environmental needs,   including for the purpose of maintaining or improving:                (1)  water supply management;                (2)  instream flows;                (3) [(2)]  water quality;                (4) [(3)]  fish and wildlife habitat; and                (5) [(4)]  bay and estuary inflows.          SECTION 2.  Section 15.703(a), Water Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The board may take all actions necessary to operate the   water bank and to facilitate the transfer of water rights from the   water bank for future beneficial use including but not limited to:                (1)  negotiating a sale price and terms acceptable to   the depositor and purchaser;                (2)  maintaining a registry of water bank deposits and   those water users in need of additional supplies;                (3)  informing water users in need of additional supply   of water rights available in the bank;                (4)  encouraging water right holders to implement water   conservation practices and deposit the right to use the conserved   water into the bank;                (5)  establishing requirements for deposit of a water   right into the water bank including minimum terms for deposit;                (6)  purchasing, holding, and transferring water or   water rights in its own name;                (7)  establishing regional water banks;                (8)  acting as a clearinghouse for water marketing   information including water availability, pricing of water   transactions, environmental considerations, and potential buyers   and sellers of water rights;                (9)  preparing and publishing a manual on structuring   water transactions;                (10)  accepting and holding donations of water rights   to meet conservation or environmental needs, including water supply   management, instream flow, water quality, fish and wildlife   habitat, or bay and estuary inflow needs;                (11)  entering into contracts with persons to pay for   feasibility studies or the preparation of plans and specifications   relating to water conservation efforts or to estimate the amount of   water that would be saved through conservation efforts; and                (12)  other actions to facilitate water transactions.          SECTION 3.  Section 15.7031(a), Water Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The Texas Water Trust is established within the water   bank to hold water rights dedicated to conservation or   environmental needs, including water supply management, instream   flow [flows], water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, or bay and   estuary inflow needs [inflows].          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.