Relating to the expiration date of certain permits issued by groundwater conservation districts.

HB 4138 (Relating to the expiration date of certain permits issued by groundwater conservation districts) delays the expiration of drilling, operating, or transfer permits held by individuals or entities involved in litigation challenging a permit's validity. If a final court ruling upholds the permit, the delay lasts until the two-year anniversary of that ruling; if the permit is invalidated, the delay ends when the ruling is issued. The delay does not apply if the permit holder started the lawsuit, owes fees, faces enforcement actions for violations, or has unpaid penalties. This law applies only to permits issued on or after January 1, 2022, and takes effect September 1, 2025.