84R12537 GRM-F
By: Lucio S.B. No. 1663
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to exempting certain water districts from review and
supervision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of
district bond packages and projects.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 49.181(h), Water Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(h) This section does not apply to:
(1) a district if:
(A) the district's boundaries include one entire
county;
(B) the district was created by a special Act of
the legislature and:
(i) the district is located entirely within
one county;
(ii) the district is located entirely
within one or more home-rule municipalities;
(iii) the total taxable value of the real
property and improvements to the real property zoned by one or more
home-rule municipalities for residential purposes and located
within the district does not exceed 25 percent of the total taxable
value of all taxable property in the district, as shown by the most
recent certified appraisal tax roll prepared by the appraisal
district for the county; and
(iv) the district was not required by law to
obtain commission approval of its bonds before the effective date
of this section;
(C) the district is a special water authority;
(D) the district is governed by a board of
directors appointed in whole or in part by the governor, a state
agency, or the governing body or chief elected official of a
municipality or county and does not provide, or propose to provide,
water, sewer, drainage, reclamation, or flood control services to
residential retail or commercial customers as its principal
function;
(E) the district on September 1, 2003:
(i) is a municipal utility district that
includes territory in only two counties;
(ii) has outstanding long-term
indebtedness that is rated BBB or better by a nationally recognized
rating agency for municipal securities; and
(iii) has at least 5,000 active water
connections; [or]
(F) the district:
(i) is a conservation and reclamation
district created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution,
that includes territory in at least three counties; and
(ii) has the rights, powers, privileges,
and functions applicable to a river authority under Chapter 30; or
(G) the district is a special utility district
created or converted under Chapter 65; or
(2) a public utility agency created under Chapter 572,
Local Government Code, any of the public entities participating in
which are districts if at least one of those districts is a district
described by Subdivision (1)(E).
SECTION 2. Section 49.182, Water Code, is amended by adding
Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) This section does not apply to a special utility
district created or converted under Chapter 65.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to bonds issued on or after the effective date of this Act. Bonds
issued before the effective date of this Act are governed by the law
in effect on the date the bonds were issued, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.