Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1829 Latest Draft

Bill / Enrolled Version Filed 05/23/2019

                            H.B. No. 1829


 AN ACT
 relating to the powers and duties of the Fort Bend County Municipal
 Utility District No. 225; providing authority to issue bonds;
 providing authority to impose a tax.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subtitle F, Title 6, Special District Local Laws
 Code, is amended by adding Chapter 8069 to read as follows:
 CHAPTER 8069. FORT BEND COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 225
 SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
 Sec. 8069.0101.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
 (1)  "Board" means the district's board of directors.
 (2)  "District" means the Fort Bend County Municipal
 Utility District No. 225.
 Sec. 8069.0102.  NATURE AND PURPOSES OF DISTRICT. (a) The
 district is a municipal utility district created under Section 59,
 Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
 (b)  The district is created to accomplish the purposes of:
 (1)  a municipal utility district as provided by
 general law and Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and
 (2)  Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, that
 relate to the construction, acquisition, improvement, operation,
 or maintenance of macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or
 improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
 SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES
 Sec. 8069.0201.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The district
 has the powers and duties necessary to accomplish the purposes for
 which the district is created.
 Sec. 8069.0202.  MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POWERS AND
 DUTIES. The district has the powers and duties provided by the
 general law of this state, including Chapters 49 and 54, Water Code,
 applicable to municipal utility districts created under Section 59,
 Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
 Sec. 8069.0203.  AUTHORITY FOR ROAD PROJECTS. Under Section
 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, the district may design,
 acquire, construct, finance, issue bonds for, improve, operate,
 maintain, and convey to this state, a county, or a municipality for
 operation and maintenance macadamized, graveled, or paved roads, or
 improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
 Sec. 8069.0204.  ROAD STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) A
 road project must meet all applicable construction standards,
 zoning and subdivision requirements, and regulations of each
 municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial
 jurisdiction the road project is located.
 (b)  If a road project is not located in the corporate limits
 or extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the road
 project must meet all applicable construction standards,
 subdivision requirements, and regulations of each county in which
 the road project is located.
 (c)  If the state will maintain and operate the road, the
 Texas Transportation Commission must approve the plans and
 specifications of the road project.
 SUBCHAPTER C. BONDS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
 Sec. 8069.0301.  AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BONDS AND OTHER
 OBLIGATIONS FOR ROAD PROJECTS. (a) The district may issue bonds or
 other obligations payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes,
 impact fees, revenue, contract payments, grants, or other district
 money, or any combination of those sources, to pay for a road
 project authorized by Section 8069.0203.
 (b)  The district may not issue bonds payable from ad valorem
 taxes to finance a road project unless the issuance is approved by a
 vote of a two-thirds majority of the district voters voting at an
 election held for that purpose.
 (c)  At the time of issuance, the total principal amount of
 bonds or other obligations issued or incurred to finance road
 projects and payable from ad valorem taxes may not exceed
 one-fourth of the assessed value of the real property in the
 district.
 Sec. 8069.0302.  TAXES FOR BONDS. At the time the district
 issues bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, the
 board shall provide for the annual imposition of a continuing
 direct ad valorem tax, without limit as to rate or amount, while all
 or part of the bonds are outstanding as required and in the manner
 provided by Sections 54.601 and 54.602, Water Code.
 SECTION 2.  The Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District
 No. 225 retains all the rights, powers, privileges, authority,
 duties, and functions that it had before the effective date of this
 Act.
 SECTION 3.  (a)  The legislature validates and confirms all
 governmental acts and proceedings of the Fort Bend County Municipal
 Utility District No. 225 that were taken before the effective date
 of this Act.
 (b)  This section does not apply to any matter that on the
 effective date of this Act:
 (1)  is involved in litigation if the litigation
 ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final court
 judgment; or
 (2)  has been held invalid by a final court judgment.
 SECTION 4.  (a)  The legal notice of the intention to
 introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
 Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
 copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
 officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
 under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
 Government Code.
 (b)  The governor, one of the required recipients, has
 submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
 Environmental Quality.
 (c)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
 its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
 lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
 representatives within the required time.
 (d)  All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
 state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
 to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
 and accomplished.
 SECTION 5.  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, 2019.
 ______________________________ ______________________________
 President of the Senate Speaker of the House
 I certify that H.B. No. 1829 was passed by the House on April
 12, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 5, 2 present, not
 voting.
 ______________________________
 Chief Clerk of the House
 I certify that H.B. No. 1829 was passed by the Senate on May
 22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 ______________________________
 Secretary of the Senate
 APPROVED:  _____________________
 Date
 _____________________
 Governor