| 1 | 1 | | 89R3688 MP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 784 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a grant program for municipal pedestrian infrastructure |
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| 10 | 10 | | administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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| 11 | 11 | | Affairs. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, |
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| 14 | 14 | | Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | SUBCHAPTER K. HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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| 17 | 17 | | amended by adding Section 2306.2595 to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 2306.2595. PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM. (a) In |
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| 19 | 19 | | this section: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) "Grant" means financial assistance that is awarded |
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| 21 | 21 | | in the form of money to a municipality for a specific purpose and |
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| 22 | 22 | | that is not required to be repaid. For purposes of this section, |
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| 23 | 23 | | the term includes a forgivable loan. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) "Grant fund" means the pedestrian infrastructure |
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| 25 | 25 | | grant fund. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) The department shall award grants to municipalities to |
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| 27 | 27 | | construct pedestrian infrastructure related to sidewalks, curbs, |
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| 28 | 28 | | or pedestrian lighting. The department may only award a grant under |
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| 29 | 29 | | a contract between the department and a grant recipient that |
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| 30 | 30 | | includes provisions under which the department is given sufficient |
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| 31 | 31 | | control to ensure the public purpose of protecting the safety of the |
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| 32 | 32 | | public is accomplished and the state receives the return benefit. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) The grant fund is a dedicated account in the general |
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| 34 | 34 | | revenue fund and consists of: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) appropriations of money to the grant fund by the |
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| 36 | 36 | | legislature; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) gifts, grants, including federal grants, and other |
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| 38 | 38 | | donations received for the grant fund; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) interest earned on the investment of money in the |
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| 40 | 40 | | grant fund. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) The grant fund may be used by the department only to: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) award grants under this section; and |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) administer the grant program under this section. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (e) Section 403.0956 does not apply to the grant fund. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (f) The department shall adopt rules necessary to |
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| 46 | 46 | | administer this section. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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