| 1 | 1 | | 84R12975 JAM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 973 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to financial assistance administered by the Texas |
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| 8 | 8 | | Department of Housing and Community Affairs in certain rural areas. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Sections 2306.004(28-a) and (36), Government |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (28-a) "Rural area" means an area that is located: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (A) outside the boundaries of a primary |
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| 14 | 14 | | metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area; |
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| 15 | 15 | | or |
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| 16 | 16 | | (B) within the boundaries of a primary |
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| 17 | 17 | | metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area, |
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| 18 | 18 | | if the [statistical] area: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (i) has a population of 25,000 or less and |
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| 20 | 20 | | does not share a boundary with an urban area; or |
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| 21 | 21 | | (ii) is designated by the department as a |
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| 22 | 22 | | rural area under Section 2306.0075. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (36) "Urban area" means the area that is located |
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| 24 | 24 | | within the boundaries of a primary metropolitan statistical area or |
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| 25 | 25 | | a metropolitan statistical area other than an area described by |
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| 26 | 26 | | Subdivision (28-a)(B) [or eligible for funding as described by |
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| 27 | 27 | | Subdivision (28-a)(C)]. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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| 29 | 29 | | amended by adding Section 2306.0075 to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | Sec. 2306.0075. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN AREAS AS RURAL. (a) |
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| 31 | 31 | | This section applies only to an area that: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) is located within the boundaries of a primary |
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| 33 | 33 | | metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area; |
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| 34 | 34 | | and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) has a population of 25,000 or less. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) The department shall designate a statistical area |
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| 37 | 37 | | described by Subsection (a) as a rural area under Section |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2306.004(28-a)(B)(ii) for purposes of receiving financial |
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| 39 | 39 | | assistance administered by the department under this chapter if the |
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| 40 | 40 | | department receives an ordinance or order: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) adopted by the governing body of the applicable |
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| 42 | 42 | | political subdivision seeking the designation described by this |
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| 43 | 43 | | subsection; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) stating that the statistical area is a rural area |
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| 45 | 45 | | for purposes of receiving the financial assistance. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (c) The department shall adopt rules ensuring that |
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| 47 | 47 | | financial assistance provided to a designated rural area complies |
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| 48 | 48 | | with any applicable federal requirements regarding that |
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| 49 | 49 | | assistance. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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