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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Durán

DATE TYPED 02/19/05 HB

SHORT TITLE Soil and Water Conservation District Elections

SB 676

ANALYST Ford

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates House Bill 752

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 676 changes the date of referendum elections for the creation of soil and water con-

servation districts, as well as the date of elections for district supervisors, from the first Tuesday

in February to the first Tuesday in May.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Under the Soil and Water Conservation District Act, 25 landowners may petition the soil and wa-

ter conservation commission for the organization of a soil and water conservation district. The

commission reviews the petition and either approves or denies the petition. If the commission

approves the petition, it must then determine whether the operation of the district is administra-

tively practicable. To assist in this determination, the commission shall call for a referendum on

the proposed district within the geographical boundaries of the district. Current law establishes

the date for this referendum as the next succeeding first Tuesday in February. This bill would

change that date to the first Tuesday in May.

Once a district is formed, district supervisors are elected and serve staggered four year terms.

Current law provides that elections to replace termed-out supervisors shall take place on the first

Tuesday in February. This bill would change that date to the first Tuesday in May.

EF/sb