Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB1082 Compare Versions

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11 81R7182 PMO-F
22 By: Laubenberg H.B. No. 1082
33
44
55 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
66 AN ACT
77 relating to the North Texas Municipal Water District.
88 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
99 SECTION 1. Section 1a, Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd
1010 Legislature, Regular Session, 1951, is amended by adding
1111 Subdivision (13) to read as follows:
1212 (13) "Bonds" includes negotiable or nonnegotiable
1313 bonds, notes, certificates, contractual obligations, or other
1414 obligations of the district.
1515 SECTION 2. Section 3(b), Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd
1616 Legislature, Regular Session, 1951, is amended to read as follows:
1717 (b) Each director shall receive a fee of $150 for each day
1818 the director spends performing the duties of a director, including
1919 participating in board and committee meetings, other activities
2020 involving substantive deliberation of District business, and
2121 pertinent educational programs [$50 for attending each meeting of
2222 the board and $20 per day devoted to the business of the District
2323 other than attending board meetings], but not more than $7,200
2424 [$1,200] shall be paid to any director in one calendar year
2525 [therefor]. Each director shall be entitled to reimbursement for
2626 actual expenses incurred in attending to District business provided
2727 the service and expense are expressly approved by the Board.
2828 SECTION 3. Section 4, Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd
2929 Legislature, Regular Session, 1951, is amended to read as follows:
3030 Sec. 4. The board of directors shall elect from its number a
3131 president and a vice-president of the District, and such other
3232 officers as in the judgment of the board are necessary. The
3333 president shall be the [chief executive officer of the District and
3434 the] presiding officer of the board, and shall have the same right
3535 to vote as any other director. The vice-president shall perform all
3636 duties and exercise all powers conferred by this Act upon the
3737 president when the president is absent or fails or declines to act.
3838 The board shall also appoint a secretary and a treasurer who may or
3939 may not be members of the board, and it may combine those offices.
4040 The treasurer shall give bond in such amount as may be required by
4141 the board of directors, but in no event less than $100,000.00. The
4242 condition of such bond shall be that he will faithfully account for
4343 all money which shall come into his custody as treasurer of the
4444 District. The board shall appoint an executive director who shall
4545 employ or contract with all necessary engineers, attorneys and
4646 other employees. The board shall adopt a seal for the District.
4747 SECTION 4. Section 27, Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd
4848 Legislature, Regular Session, 1951, is amended by amending
4949 Subsections (a), (d), (e), (f), (h), (j), and (k) and adding
5050 Subsection (h-1) to read as follows:
5151 (a) The district has the functions, powers, authority,
5252 rights, and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for which
5353 the district was created and the purposes authorized by Section 59,
5454 Article XVI, Texas Constitution, this Act, or any other law. In
5555 addition to all other powers, the district is authorized to
5656 purchase, construct, acquire, own, operate, maintain, repair,
5757 improve, or extend inside and outside its boundaries, at any
5858 location whatsoever, in the sole discretion of the district, any
5959 and all property, works, improvements, facilities, plants,
6060 equipment, and appliances incident, helpful, or necessary to:
6161 (1) provide[, pursuant to the provisions of Chapters 5
6262 and 6, Water Code, as amended,] for the control, storage,
6363 preservation, transmission, treatment, and distribution and use of
6464 storm water and floodwater, the water of rivers and streams, and
6565 underground water, for irrigation, power, hydroelectric, and all
6666 other useful purposes, and to supply water for municipal, domestic,
6767 power, hydroelectric, industrial, oil flooding, mining, and
6868 commercial uses and purposes and all other beneficial uses and
6969 purposes;
7070 (2) collect, transport, process, treat, dispose of,
7171 and control all municipal, domestic, industrial, or communal waste
7272 whether in fluid, solid, or composite state, including specifically
7373 the control, abatement, or reduction of all types of pollution; and
7474 it is hereby found and determined by the legislature that all of the
7575 aforesaid purposes are for the conservation and development of the
7676 natural resources of the state within the meaning of Article XVI,
7777 Section 59 of the Texas Constitution.
7878 (d) The district is a "district" under the Regional Waste
7979 Disposal Act, as amended (Chapter 30 [25], Water Code), and all
8080 provisions of said Act are applicable to this district except to the
8181 extent of any conflict with this Act, in which case the provisions
8282 of this Act shall prevail.
8383 (e) All cities, public agencies, and other political
8484 subdivisions are authorized to contract with this district in any
8585 manner authorized by the Regional Waste Disposal Act, as amended
8686 (Chapter 30 [25], Water Code), provided that any city is authorized
8787 to contract with this district in the manner authorized by Section
8888 30.030(c), Water Code [25.030(c) of the Regional Waste Disposal
8989 Act].
9090 (f) The [It is further specifically provided that the]
9191 district and all cities, public agencies, and other political
9292 subdivisions shall have all of such rights, powers, and authority
9393 with respect to the control, storage, preservation, transmission,
9494 treatment, and disposition of storm water and floodwater, and the
9595 water of rivers and streams, and underground water as are granted,
9696 permitted, and authorized by the Regional Waste Disposal Act, as
9797 amended (Chapter 30 [25], Water Code), with respect to waste, waste
9898 disposal systems, and treatment facilities. Subsection (e) of this
9999 section shall be applicable to contracts made pursuant to this
100100 subsection.
101101 (h) The district may issue bonds to borrow money for any
102102 corporate purpose, including the purposes [For the purpose of
103103 providing funds to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, enlarge,
104104 and equip any property, buildings, structures, or other facilities
105105 for any purpose or power] authorized by this section. The [, the]
106106 board of directors of the district may issue [revenue] bonds from
107107 time to time and in one or more issues or series, to be payable from
108108 and secured by liens on and pledges of all or any part of any of the
109109 revenues, income, or receipts derived by the district from its
110110 ownership, operation, lease, or sale of any [such] property,
111111 buildings, structures, or facilities, including the proceeds or
112112 revenues from contracts with any person, firm, corporation, city,
113113 public agency, or other political subdivision. The [Such] bonds
114114 may be issued in certificated form or uncertificated book-entry
115115 form to mature serially or otherwise within not to exceed 50 years
116116 from their date, and provision may be made for the subsequent
117117 issuance of additional parity bonds, or subordinate lien bonds,
118118 under any terms or conditions that may be set forth in the
119119 resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds. The [Such]
120120 bonds, and any interest coupons appertaining thereto, to the extent
121121 issued in negotiable form, are and shall constitute negotiable
122122 instruments within the meaning and for all purposes of the Texas
123123 Business & Commerce [Uniform Commercial] Code, provided that the
124124 bonds may be issued registrable as to principal alone or as to both
125125 principal and interest, and shall be executed, and may be made
126126 redeemable prior to maturity, and may be issued in such form,
127127 denominations, and manner, and under such terms, conditions, and
128128 details, and may be sold in such manner, including through a public
129129 or private sale, at such price, and under such terms, and said bonds
130130 shall bear interest at such rates, including fixed, variable,
131131 floating, adjustable, or another method of computation, all as
132132 shall be determined and provided in the resolution authorizing the
133133 issuance of the bonds. In the bond resolution, the district may
134134 authorize one or more designated officers or employees of the
135135 district to act on behalf of the district, with the same force and
136136 effect as if the action had been taken by the district, in selling
137137 and delivering the bonds and setting the dates, prices, interest
138138 rates, interest payment periods, and other procedures relating to
139139 the bonds, as specified in the bond resolution. If so provided in
140140 the bond resolution, the proceeds from the sale of the bonds may be
141141 used for paying interest on the bonds during the period of the
142142 acquisition or construction of any facilities to be provided
143143 through the issuance of the bonds, for paying expenses of operation
144144 and maintenance of facilities, for creating a reserve fund for the
145145 payment of the principal of and interest on the bonds, and for
146146 creating any other funds, and such proceeds may be placed on time
147147 deposit or invested, until needed, all to the extent and in the
148148 manner provided in the bond resolution. The district may pledge all
149149 or any part of its revenues, income, or receipts from fees, rentals,
150150 rates, charges, and contract proceeds or payments to the payment of
151151 the bonds, including the payment of principal, interest, and any
152152 other amounts required or permitted in connection with the bonds.
153153 The pledged fees, rentals, rates, charges, proceeds, or payments
154154 shall be fixed and collected in amounts that will be at least
155155 sufficient, together with any other pledged resources, to provide
156156 for all payments of principal, interest, and any other amounts
157157 required in connection with the bonds, and, to the extent required
158158 by the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds, to provide
159159 for the payment of expenses in connection with the bonds, and
160160 operation, maintenance, and other expenses in connection with the
161161 aforesaid facilities. The [Said] bonds may be additionally secured
162162 by mortgages or deeds of trust on any real property owned or to be
163163 acquired by the district, and by chattel mortgages or liens on any
164164 personal property appurtenant to such real property; and the board
165165 of directors of the district may authorize the execution of trust
166166 indentures, mortgages, deeds of trust, or other forms of
167167 encumbrances to evidence same. Also, the district may pledge to the
168168 payment of the bonds all or any part of any grant, donation,
169169 revenues, or income received or to be received from the United
170170 States government or any other public or private source, whether
171171 pursuant to an agreement or otherwise.
172172 (h-1) If funds are not available to meet any need of the
173173 district and the board of directors of the district declares an
174174 emergency, the board may issue bond anticipation notes or revenue
175175 anticipation notes, or both bond anticipation notes and revenue
176176 anticipation notes, to borrow the money needed by the district.
177177 Bond anticipation notes may be issued for any purpose for which
178178 bonds of the district may be issued. The district may enter into an
179179 agreement with a purchaser of bond anticipation notes to use the
180180 proceeds from the sale of any bond to pay principal, interest, or
181181 redemption price on the bond anticipation notes. Revenue
182182 anticipation notes may be issued for any purpose for which the
183183 district is authorized to expend revenue of the district. The
184184 district may enter into an agreement with a purchaser of revenue
185185 anticipation notes to adopt, enforce, and collect charges, fees,
186186 rentals, and other amounts for the district's facilities and
187187 services that are sufficient to pay the principal of, any
188188 redemption premium on, and interest on the revenue anticipation
189189 notes.
190190 (j) Chapter 1202, Government Code, applies to the issuance
191191 of bonds by the district. [All bonds issued pursuant to this
192192 section and the appropriate proceedings authorizing their issuance
193193 shall be submitted to the Attorney General of the State of Texas for
194194 examination. When the bonds are to be issued to finance in whole or
195195 in part water-using facilities, except treatment or distribution
196196 facilities, before giving his approval the attorney general shall
197197 be furnished a resolution from the Texas Water Rights Commission
198198 certifying that the district is possessed of the necessary water
199199 right authorizing it to impound and appropriate the water to be
200200 utilized by the project. Also, if the bonds recite that they are
201201 secured by a pledge of revenues of any contract, a copy of such
202202 contract and the proceedings relating thereto shall be submitted to
203203 the attorney general. If he finds that such bonds have been
204204 authorized and any such contract has been made in accordance with
205205 law, he shall approve the bonds and any such contract, and thereupon
206206 the bonds shall be registered by the Comptroller of Public Accounts
207207 of the State of Texas; and after such approval and registration,
208208 such bonds and any such contract shall be incontestable in any court
209209 or other forum for any reason, and shall be valid and binding
210210 obligations in accordance with their terms for all purposes.]
211211 (k) All bonds issued pursuant to this section are legal and
212212 authorized investments in the same manner as provided by Section
213213 49.186(a), Water Code. The [for all banks, trust companies,
214214 building and loan associations, savings and loan associations,
215215 insurance companies of all kinds and types, and trustees, and for
216216 all interest and sinking funds and other public funds of the State
217217 of Texas and all agencies, subdivisions, and instrumentalities
218218 thereof, including all counties, cities, towns, villages, school
219219 districts, and all other kinds and types of districts, public
220220 agencies, and bodies politic. Said] bonds also shall be eligible
221221 and lawful security for [all] deposits of public funds in [of] the
222222 same manner as provided by Section 49.186(b), Water Code [State of
223223 Texas and all agencies, subdivisions, and instrumentalities
224224 thereof, including all counties, cities, towns, villages, school
225225 districts, and all other kinds and types of districts, public
226226 agencies, and bodies politic, to the extent of the market value of
227227 said bonds, when accompanied by any unmatured interest coupons
228228 appurtenant thereto].
229229 SECTION 5. Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd Legislature,
230230 Regular Session, 1951, is amended by adding Section 28 to read as
231231 follows:
232232 Sec. 28. If a quorum of the board of directors of the
233233 district cannot be assembled due to multiple deaths or injuries
234234 resulting from a catastrophe or disaster, any directors who are
235235 available, or the highest ranking staff member of the district if no
236236 director is available, shall within 24 hours after the catastrophe
237237 or disaster has ended, or as soon as practicable under the
238238 circumstances, take any action necessary to ensure the basic
239239 health, safety, and welfare of the customers of the district and
240240 call for the appointment of new directors by the member cities of
241241 the district to fill the vacancies on the board resulting from the
242242 catastrophe or disaster. Until a quorum of the board of directors
243243 can be assembled, any directors who are available, or the highest
244244 ranking staff member of the district if no director is available,
245245 may only take actions as necessary to protect the basic health,
246246 safety, and welfare of the district's customers. The board of
247247 directors may subsequently ratify any action taken in accordance
248248 with this section.
249249 SECTION 6. Section 27(c), Chapter 62, Acts of the 52nd
250250 Legislature, Regular Session, 1951, is repealed.
251251 SECTION 7. (a) The legal notice of the intention to
252252 introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
253253 Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
254254 copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
255255 officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
256256 under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
257257 Government Code.
258258 (b) The governor has submitted the notice and Act to the
259259 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
260260 (c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
261261 its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor,
262262 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
263263 within the required time.
264264 (d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
265265 state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
266266 to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
267267 and accomplished.
268268 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
269269 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
270270 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
271271 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
272272 Act takes effect September 1, 2009.