A bill authored by several Montgomery County legislators to elect and not appoint Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District board members was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Greg Abbott. House Bill 1982 was authored by state Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, state Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands and state Rep. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia. The Senate companion bill, SB 2250, was authored by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe and state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville. “Months of discussions with constituents and stakeholders have resulted in the HB 1982 being presented in the legislature and ultimately passed,” Keough said. “I am proud to be working with the entire Montgomery County delegation to bring change to this important board, ultimately placing the taxpayers in charge of the future of this board.” The bill also reduces the size of the board from nine to seven members. Four members will be elected by voters in each county precinct, one will be elected at-large, and the remaining two positions will be voted on by residents in The Woodlands and Conroe. The new law also creates term limits for the board, which would permit officials from serving for more than three, four-year terms. The bill goes into effect Sept. 1.