Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1554 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Lucio S.B. No. 1554
2	2	(King of Zavala, White)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of a matching grant program for
8	8	community development in certain municipalities and counties.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
11	11	Chapter 23 to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 23. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR RURAL
13	13	AND SMALL COMMUNITIES
14	14	Sec. 23.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "program" means
15	15	the community development matching grant program established under
16	16	this chapter.
17	17	Sec. 23.002. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
18	18	(a) Subject to the availability of federal and state funds, the
19	19	department shall create a community development matching grant
20	20	program to foster community and economic development in certain
21	21	municipalities and counties.
22	22	(b) The department shall award matching grants under the
23	23	program to assist in the financing of:
24	24	(1) community development projects, including basic
25	25	infrastructure projects such as water or wastewater facilities and
26	26	planning, street improvements, and drainage;
27	27	(2) capacity-building projects relating to local
28	28	public facility and housing planning activities;
29	29	(3) renewable energy projects to help participating
30	30	rural communities reduce energy costs for water and wastewater
31	31	treatment facilities;
32	32	(4) restoration projects for water or wastewater
33	33	infrastructure based on urgent need, if the infrastructure poses an
34	34	imminent threat to life or health;
35	35	(5) economic development projects to create or retain
36	36	permanent employment opportunities;
37	37	(6) economic development projects to support economic
38	38	and management development activities at the county level;
39	39	(7) environmental projects that provide assistance to
40	40	small communities for solving water or wastewater problems using
41	41	self-help methods; and
42	42	(8) other community development projects as
43	43	determined by the department with the assistance of the Texas Rural
44	44	Health and Economic Development Advisory Council.
45	45	Sec. 23.003. ELIGIBLE ENTITIES. A municipality or county
46	46	is eligible for a matching grant under this chapter if the
47	47	municipality or county is:
48	48	(1) a nonentitlement area, as defined by 42 U.S.C.
49	49	Section 5302(a)(7), under the federal community development block
50	50	grant nonentitlement program; and
51	51	(2) in good standing with the department and with the
52	52	United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
53	53	Sec. 23.004. APPLICATIONS. Eligible municipalities or
54	54	counties may submit a single-jurisdiction application or a
55	55	multi-jurisdiction application for a matching grant under the
56	56	program for a community development project. An application must
57	57	include a description of the project proposal.
58	58	Sec. 23.005. PREFERENCE FOR MULTI-JURISDICTION
59	59	APPLICATIONS. (a) In awarding a matching grant under the program,
60	60	the department shall give preference to an application submitted
61	61	under the program by two or more eligible municipalities or
62	62	counties if the application shows that the proposed community
63	63	development project will mutually benefit the residents of the
64	64	communities applying for the funds.
65	65	(b) A multi-jurisdiction application solely for
66	66	administrative convenience may not be accepted by the department.
67	67	(c) A municipality or county that has submitted a
68	68	multi-jurisdiction application may not submit a
69	69	single-jurisdiction application for a matching grant for the same
70	70	project for which the multi-jurisdiction application was
71	71	submitted.
72	72	(d) If a matching grant is awarded under the program, one of
73	73	the municipalities or counties participating under a
74	74	multi-jurisdiction application shall be primarily accountable to
75	75	the department for financial compliance and performance
76	76	requirements under the program. All municipalities and counties
77	77	applying under a multi-jurisdiction application must meet
78	78	application threshold requirements.
79	79	Sec. 23.006. RULES. (a) The department by rule shall set
80	80	criteria for matching grant requirements and participation under
81	81	the program.
82	82	(b) The department shall adopt rules necessary to implement
83	83	this chapter.
84	84	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
85	85	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
86	86	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
87	87	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
88	88	Act takes effect September 1, 2013.