Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2136 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R13361 BEF-F
2	2	By: Lucio S.B. No. 2136
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) trade-related initiatives and programs, as
25	25	determined by the commissioner, that will assist farmers, ranchers,
26	26	and the equine industry in eligible municipalities or counties to
27	27	develop and export their produce, products, and services to
28	28	international markets;
29	29	(2) community development projects, including basic
30	30	infrastructure projects such as water or wastewater facilities and
31	31	planning, street improvements, and drainage;
32	32	(3) capacity-building projects relating to local
33	33	public facility and housing planning activities;
34	34	(4) renewable energy projects to help participating
35	35	rural communities reduce energy costs for water and wastewater
36	36	treatment facilities;
37	37	(5) restoration projects for water or wastewater
38	38	infrastructure based on urgent need, if the infrastructure poses an
39	39	imminent threat to life or health;
40	40	(6) economic development projects to create or retain
41	41	permanent employment opportunities;
42	42	(7) economic development projects to support economic
43	43	and management development activities at the county level;
44	44	(8) environmental projects that provide assistance to
45	45	small communities for solving water or wastewater problems using
46	46	self-help methods; and
47	47	(9) other community development projects as
48	48	determined by the department with the assistance of the Texas Rural
49	49	Health and Economic Development Advisory Council.
50	50	Sec. 23.003. ELIGIBLE ENTITIES. A municipality or county is
51	51	eligible for a matching grant under this chapter if the
52	52	municipality or county is:
53	53	(1) a nonentitlement area, as defined by 42 U.S.C.
54	54	Section 5302(a)(7), under the federal community development block
55	55	grant nonentitlement program; and
56	56	(2) in good standing with the department and with the
57	57	United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
58	58	Sec. 23.004. APPLICATIONS. Eligible municipalities or
59	59	counties may submit a single-jurisdiction application or a
60	60	multi-jurisdiction application for a matching grant under the
61	61	program for a community development project. An application must
62	62	include a description of the project proposal.
63	63	Sec. 23.005. PREFERENCE FOR MULTI-JURISDICTION
64	64	APPLICATIONS. (a) In awarding a matching grant under the program,
65	65	the department shall give preference to an application submitted
66	66	under the program by two or more eligible municipalities or
67	67	counties if the application shows that the proposed community
68	68	development project will mutually benefit the residents of the
69	69	communities applying for the funds.
70	70	(b) A multi-jurisdiction application solely for
71	71	administrative convenience may not be accepted by the department.
72	72	(c) A municipality or county that has submitted a
73	73	multi-jurisdiction application may not submit a
74	74	single-jurisdiction application for a matching grant for the same
75	75	project for which the multi-jurisdiction application was
76	76	submitted.
77	77	(d) If a matching grant is awarded under this program, one
78	78	of the municipalities or counties participating under a
79	79	multi-jurisdiction application shall be primarily accountable to
80	80	the department for financial compliance and performance
81	81	requirements under the program. All municipalities and counties
82	82	applying under a multi-jurisdiction application must meet
83	83	application threshold requirements.
84	84	Sec. 23.006. RULES. (a) The department by rule shall set
85	85	criteria for matching grant requirements and participation under
86	86	the program.
87	87	(b) The department shall adopt rules necessary to implement
88	88	this chapter.
89	89	Sec. 23.007. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September 1,
90	90	2023.
91	91	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
92	92	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
93	93	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
94	94	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
95	95	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.