88R14102 JAM-D
By: Lopez of Cameron H.B. No. 3796
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a task force to analyze the
provision of financial assistance from the flood infrastructure
fund for the improvement of artificial drainage systems in certain
coastal and border regions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this section:
(1) "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board.
(2) "Fund" means the flood infrastructure fund
established under Section 15.533, Water Code.
(3) "Task force" means the artificial drainage systems
task force.
SECTION 2. TASK FORCE. (a) The artificial drainage systems
task force is established to identify inadequacies in and suggest
improvements for the provision of financial assistance for
artificial drainage systems to communities and drainage districts
in coastal and border regions of this state that lack topographic
relief, slope, and naturally defined floodways.
(b) The task force is composed of:
(1) an equal number of members of the house of
representatives and members of the senate with the members of the
house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house and
the members of the senate appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(2) individuals to represent the interests of drainage
districts, municipalities, and counties located in coastal and
border regions, appointed in equal numbers by the speaker of the
house of representatives and the lieutenant governor; and
(3) representatives of the board, appointed by the
executive administrator of the board.
(c) The task force shall analyze the requirements
associated with the provision of financial assistance from the fund
and identify possible changes to those requirements that would
facilitate the improvement of artificial drainage systems in
coastal and border regions, including:
(1) alterations to the scoring criteria used to
determine the eligibility for and the amount of loans and grants
provided from the fund, such as:
(A) the inclusion of scoring criteria that
prioritize improvements to an artificial drainage system; or
(B) scoring criteria to be used for communities
with artificial drainage systems that are based on a social
vulnerability index instead of income levels; and
(2) the feasibility of:
(A) providing no-interest loans for improvements
to an artificial drainage system;
(B) introducing a loan forgiveness program for
political subdivisions with outstanding loans from the fund;
(C) increasing grant funding from the fund for
communities with artificial drainage systems; or
(D) revising the income levels used to determine
the eligibility for or the amount of a grant or loan from the fund
for communities with artificial drainage systems.
(d) The task force shall hold public hearings in coastal and
border regions of this state, including hearings in El Paso, the Rio
Grande Valley, and Corpus Christi.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 21, 2024, the
task force shall prepare and submit to the board, the speaker of the
house of representatives, the lieutenant governor, and the governor
a report that includes recommendations identified by the task
force.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and this
Act expires January 1, 2025.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2023.