Texas Surveyors Practice Exam

What was the primary purpose of the Small Bill Act of Texas?

1. To promote agricultural rights for landowners

2. To give landowners rights to royalties from resources under stream beds

3. To establish ownership of navigable streams

4. To facilitate the transfer of land ownership

The correct answer is: To give landowners rights to royalties from resources under stream beds

The primary purpose of the Small Bill Act of Texas centers around granting landowners rights to royalties from resources located beneath the beds of navigable streams. This was a significant legislation designed to recognize and protect the interests of landowners regarding the natural resources available in and around these waterways. By establishing this right, the Act aimed to provide landowners with a stake in the economic benefits derived from minerals and other valuable resources located under their property, particularly where those resources are accessible via navigable streams. Understanding this context highlights how the Act supported landowners in asserting their rights over resources that could potentially yield significant financial benefits, helping to foster a more equitable distribution of resource wealth. The other options, while related to land and water rights, do not directly align with the main objective of the Small Bill Act, which was focused specifically on resource royalties rather than broader land ownership issues, agricultural rights, or navigability of streams.