By: Gonzales (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 1579
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2009;
May 1, 2009, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on
Flooding and Evacuations; May 11, 2009, rereferred to Committee on
International Relations and Trade; May 14, 2009, reported favorably
by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 14, 2009, sent to
printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a county's removal of flood water resulting from a
natural disaster in certain communities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 561, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 561.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 561.010. PROVISION OF FLOOD RELIEF TO COLONIAS. (a) In
this section, "colonia" means a geographic area that consists of 11
or more dwellings located in close proximity to each other in an
area that may be described as a community or neighborhood and that:
(1) has a majority population composed of individuals
and families of low income, as defined by Section 2306.004,
Government Code, and based on the federal Office of Management and
Budget poverty index, and meets the qualifications of an
economically distressed area under Section 17.921, Water Code; or
(2) has the physical and economic characteristics of a
colonia, as determined by the Texas Department of Housing and
Community Affairs.
(b) A county may provide assistance for the removal from
private property, including a road, of flood water resulting from a
natural disaster in a colonia if the removal of the water is
necessary to protect the health and safety of the colonia.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
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