88R13777 ATP-D
By: Lopez of Cameron H.B. No. 4749
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of economic development corporations
created by certain rural municipalities to undertake
infrastructure planning projects.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Local Government
Code, is amended by adding Section 501.108 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.108. RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING PROJECTS. (a)
This section applies only to a corporation authorized to be created
by a municipality that during the 12-month period preceding the
date of the undertaking of a project authorized by this section, has
an average unemployment rate that is greater than the state average
unemployment rate and:
(1) has a population of less than 100,000;
(2) is located wholly in a county designated as rural
by the Texas Department of Agriculture; or
(3) is part of a micropolitan statistical area with a
population of less than 150,000 in which the municipalities are
adjoined with regional water, sewer, drainage, and irrigation
systems.
(b) For a corporation to which this section applies, in
this subtitle, "project" includes expenditures found by the board
of directors to be required or suitable for the development and
engineering of plans for infrastructure for the purpose of being
ready to begin construction immediately after receiving a state or
federal grant that may be spent for infrastructure, notwithstanding
any limitation of expenditures under Section 501.103. The project
may include interlocal agreements in cooperation with any regional
or overlapping water, sewer, or drainage district or regional
system.
(c) An expenditure made under this section must prioritize:
(1) the economic goals of the community; and
(2) the mitigation of flood, storm, or other natural
disaster incidents that have increased risks of damage to business,
industrial, and affordable housing sites or zones, including by
prioritizing projects for:
(A) water, sewer, drainage, railroad, or road
underground borings or crossing improvements to distressed
business, industry, or affordable housing sites or zones where
local revenues are unavailable; and
(B) sewer and wastewater disposal facilities
required or suitable for infrastructure necessary to promote or
develop new, expanded business and industrial area enterprises or
affordable housing sites or projects.
SECTION 2. 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, 2023.