Sec. 8870.007. EFFECT OF ANNEXATION OF LAND BY CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) In this section:

(1) "Inhabited land" means land on which at least one fixed, permanent, and occupied dwelling is situated, as of the date on which the land is annexed by a municipality.

(2) "Vacant land" means land on which no fixed, permanent, and occupied dwelling is situated, as of the date on which the land is annexed by a municipality.

(b) If a municipality that has held an election under Section 8870.006 or its predecessor statute, former Section 19, Chapter 1312, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, subsequently annexes vacant land that is not located in the groundwater conservation district chosen by the municipality in the election, the annexed vacant land by that action:

(1) becomes part of the territory of the groundwater conservation district chosen by the municipality in the election; and

(2) is disannexed from any other groundwater conservation district in which the land is located.

(c) If a municipality that has held an election under Section 8870.006 or its predecessor statute, former Section 19, Chapter 1312, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, subsequently annexes inhabited land that is not located in the groundwater conservation district chosen by the municipality in the election, the landowners of the annexed inhabited land may file a petition with the groundwater conservation district requesting inclusion in that district as provided by Subchapter J, Chapter 36, Water Code. Notwithstanding Section 36.325(b), Water Code, the petition must be signed by all of the landowners of the land to be annexed by the groundwater conservation district. If the affected landowners do not file a petition as provided by this subsection, the municipality shall hold an election under Section 8870.006 in which the voters in the annexed inhabited land may choose the one groundwater conservation district of which the annexed land will be a part.

(d) Any land annexed by the municipality after an election under Section 8870.006 or its predecessor statute, former Section 19, Chapter 1312, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, and before the effective date of this section is:

(1) territory of the district chosen by the municipality in the election; and

(2) disannexed from any other groundwater conservation district in which the land is located.

(e) A disannexation of a groundwater conservation district's territory under this section does not diminish or impair the rights of the holders of any outstanding and unpaid bonds, warrants, or other obligations of that groundwater conservation district. Property disannexed under this section is not released from its pro rata share of any indebtedness of that groundwater conservation district at the time of the disannexation, and that groundwater conservation district may continue to tax the property until that debt is paid.

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 112 (S.B. 1026), Sec. 1.05, eff. April 1, 2015.