By: Guillen (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 429
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013;
April 30, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on
Intergovernmental Relations; May 10, 2013, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 2; May 10, 2013, sent to
printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the definition of rural area for purposes of certain
housing assistance administered by the Texas Department of Housing
and Community Affairs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2306.004(28-a), Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(28-a) "Rural area" means an area that is located:
(A) outside the boundaries of a primary
metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area;
(B) within the boundaries of a primary
metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area,
if the statistical area has a population of 25,000 or less and does
not share a boundary with an urban area; or
(C) in an area that is eligible for federal
financial assistance provided under Section 514, 515, or 516 of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. Section 1484, 1485, or 1486) [funding
by the Texas Rural Development Office of the United States
Department of Agriculture, other than an area that is located in a
municipality with a population of more than 50,000].
SECTION 2. Section 2306.6702(12), Government Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an application for financial assistance that is submitted to the
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs during an
application cycle that begins on or after the effective date of this
Act. An application for financial assistance that is submitted
during an application cycle that began before the effective date of
this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the
application cycle began, and the former law is continued in effect
for that purpose.
SECTION 4. 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, 2013.
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