84R Bill: Private Property Rights & Water

Rep. Murr filed HB 2892 will give “property owners a seat at the table along with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the General Land Office and other state agencies when it comes to determining if a watercourse is considered “navigable.”‘

 Navigable waterway belongs to Texas. Non-navigable waterway is private property.

Rep. Murr quotes:

• “Growing up and living on a ranch, I know first-hand how important this issue is to a lot of ranchers, farmers and landowners,”
• “…a state agency can determine navigability without any input from the people who know the land the best — the landowners themselves.”
• “This bill will give notice to any potentially affected property owners and provide them a hearing in which they can participate before any finding is made that a portion of their property constitutes a ‘navigable stream.'”
• “Every landowner should receive notice when the state is considering making a designation that could affect his or her property, and have an opportunity to raise issue with that finding,” Murr noted.

Rep. Murr Press Release