Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1288 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2372 JAM-F
2	2	By: Perry S.B. No. 1288
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the redesignation of the State Water Implementation
10	10	Fund for Texas Advisory Committee as the Texas Water Fund Advisory
11	11	Committee, the abolition of the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency
12	12	Fund Advisory Committee, and the composition and functions of the
13	13	Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee.
14	14	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	15	SECTION 1. Section 15.431(a)(1), Water Code, is amended to
16	16	read as follows:
17	17	(1) "Advisory committee" means the [State Water
18	18	Implementation Fund for] Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee.
19	19	SECTION 2. Section 15.438, Water Code, is transferred to
20	20	Subchapter A, Chapter 15, Water Code, redesignated as Section
21	21	15.009, Water Code, and amended to read as follows:
22	22	Sec. 15.009 [15.438]. TEXAS WATER FUND ADVISORY
23	23	COMMITTEE. (a) The [State Water Implementation Fund for] Texas
24	24	Water Fund Advisory Committee is composed of the following eight
25	25	[seven] members:
26	26	(1) the comptroller, or a person designated by the
27	27	comptroller;
28	28	(2) the chair of the committee of the senate having
29	29	primary jurisdiction over water resources;
30	30	(3) the chair of the committee of the house of
31	31	representatives having primary jurisdiction over water resources;
32	32	(4) two [three] members of the senate appointed by the
33	33	lieutenant governor, including at least one[:
34	34	[(A) a] member of the committee of the senate
35	35	having primary jurisdiction over matters relating to finance;
36	36	(5) two [and
37	37	[(B) the chair of the committee of the senate
38	38	having primary jurisdiction over water resources; and
39	39	[(3) three] members of the house of representatives
40	40	appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including
41	41	at least one[:
42	42	[(A) a] member of the committee of the house of
43	43	representatives having primary jurisdiction over appropriations;
44	44	and
45	45	(6) the director of the Texas Division of Emergency
46	46	Management or the successor in function to that entity, or a person
47	47	designated by that person, who serves as a nonvoting member
48	48	[(B) the chair of the committee of the house of
49	49	representatives having primary jurisdiction over water resources].
50	50	(b) The following persons shall serve as staff support for
51	51	the advisory committee:
52	52	(1) the deputy executive administrator of the board
53	53	who is responsible for water science and conservation or a person
54	54	who holds an equivalent position at the agency, or a person
55	55	designated by that person;
56	56	(2) the deputy executive administrator of the board
57	57	who is responsible for water resources planning and information or
58	58	a person who holds an equivalent position at the agency, or a person
59	59	designated by that person; and
60	60	(3) the chief financial officer of the board, or a
61	61	person who holds an equivalent position at the agency.
62	62	(c) A [An appointed] member of the advisory committee
63	63	designated under Subsection (a)(1) or (6) or appointed under
64	64	Subsection (a)(4) or (5) serves at the will of the person who
65	65	designated or appointed the member.
66	66	(d) The members of the advisory committee described by
67	67	Subsections (a)(2) and (3) serve as [lieutenant governor shall
68	68	appoint a] co-presiding officers [officer] of the [advisory]
69	69	committee [from among the members appointed by the lieutenant
70	70	governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall
71	71	appoint a co-presiding officer of the committee from among the
72	72	members appointed by the speaker].
73	73	(e) The advisory committee may hold public hearings, formal
74	74	meetings, or work sessions. Either co-presiding officer of the
75	75	advisory committee may call a public hearing, formal meeting, or
76	76	work session of the advisory committee at any time. The advisory
77	77	committee may not take formal action at a public hearing, formal
78	78	meeting, or work session unless a quorum of the committee is
79	79	present.
80	80	(f) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a
81	81	member of the advisory committee is not entitled to receive
82	82	compensation for service on the committee or reimbursement for
83	83	expenses incurred in the performance of official duties as a member
84	84	of the committee. Service on the advisory committee by a member of
85	85	the senate or house of representatives is considered legislative
86	86	service for which the member is entitled to reimbursement and other
87	87	benefits in the same manner and to the same extent as for other
88	88	legislative service.
89	89	(g) As needed, the [The] advisory committee shall submit
90	90	comments and recommendations to the board regarding the use of
91	91	money in:
92	92	(1) the state water implementation fund for Texas
93	93	established under Subchapter G [fund] for use by the board in
94	94	adopting rules under Section 15.439 and in adopting policies and
95	95	procedures under Section 15.441;
96	96	(2) the Texas water fund established under Subchapter
97	97	H-1 for use by the board in adopting rules under Section 15.507;
98	98	(3) the flood infrastructure fund established under
99	99	Subchapter I for use by the board in adopting rules under Section
100	100	15.537; and
101	101	(4) the Texas infrastructure resiliency fund
102	102	established under Section 16.452 for use by the board in adopting
103	103	rules under Section 16.460. [The submission must include:
104	104	[(1) comments and recommendations on rulemaking
105	105	related to the prioritization of projects in regional water plans
106	106	and the state water plan in accordance with Section 15.437;
107	107	[(2) comments and recommendations on rulemaking
108	108	related to establishing standards for determining whether projects
109	109	meet the criteria provided by Section 15.434(b);
110	110	[(3) an evaluation of the available programs for
111	111	providing financing for projects included in the state water plan
112	112	and guidelines for implementing those programs, including
113	113	guidelines for providing financing for projects included in the
114	114	state water plan that are authorized under Subchapter Q or R of this
115	115	chapter, Subchapter E or F, Chapter 16, or Subchapter J, Chapter 17;
116	116	[(4) an evaluation of the lending practices of the
117	117	board and guidelines for lending standards;
118	118	[(5) an evaluation of the use of funds by the board to
119	119	provide support for financial assistance for water projects,
120	120	including support for the purposes described by Section 15.435(c);
121	121	[(6) an evaluation of whether premium financing
122	122	programs should be established within the funds described by
123	123	Section 15.435 to serve the purposes of this subchapter, especially
124	124	in connection with projects described by Section 15.434(b);
125	125	[(7) an evaluation of methods for encouraging
126	126	participation in the procurement process by companies domiciled in
127	127	this state or that employ a significant number of residents of this
128	128	state; and
129	129	[(8) an evaluation of the overall operation, function,
130	130	and structure of the fund.]
131	131	(h) The advisory committee shall review the overall
132	132	operation, function, and structure of each fund listed in
133	133	Subsection (g) [the fund] at least semiannually [and may provide
134	134	comments and recommendations to the board on any matter].
135	135	(i) The advisory committee may:
136	136	(1) provide comments and recommendations to the board
137	137	on any matter;
138	138	(2) review the overall operation, function, and
139	139	structure of any fund established under this chapter or Chapter 16
140	140	that is not listed in Subsection (g); and
141	141	(3) adopt rules, procedures, and policies as needed to
142	142	administer this section and implement its responsibilities.
143	143	(j) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
144	144	size, composition, or duration of the advisory committee.
145	145	(k) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 325,
146	146	Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence
147	147	as provided by that chapter, the advisory committee is abolished
148	148	and this section expires September 1, 2035.
149	149	(l) As needed, the [The] advisory committee shall make
150	150	recommendations to the board regarding information to be posted on
151	151	the board's Internet website relating to the funds listed in
152	152	Subsection (g) [under Section 15.440(b)].
153	153	(m) The advisory committee shall evaluate and may provide
154	154	comments or recommendations on the feasibility of the state owning,
155	155	constructing, and operating water supply projects, including
156	156	reservoirs and major water supply conveyance infrastructure,
157	157	through existing financial assistance programs under Subchapter E
158	158	of this chapter, Subchapter E or F, Chapter 16, or other mechanisms.
159	159	(n) The executive administrator shall provide an annual
160	160	report to the advisory committee on:
161	161	(1) the board's compliance with statewide annual goals
162	162	relating to historically underutilized businesses; and
163	163	(2) the participation level of historically
164	164	underutilized businesses in projects that receive funding related
165	165	to a bond enhancement agreement under Subchapter G [this
166	166	subchapter].
167	167	(o) If the aggregate level of participation by historically
168	168	underutilized businesses in projects that receive funding related
169	169	to a bond enhancement agreement under Subchapter G [this
170	170	subchapter] does not meet statewide annual goals adopted under
171	171	Chapter 2161, Government Code, the advisory committee shall make
172	172	recommendations to the board to improve the participation level.
173	173	SECTION 3. The following provisions of the Water Code are
174	174	repealed:
175	175	(1) Section 15.506;
176	176	(2) Section 15.540;
177	177	(3) Section 16.451(1); and
178	178	(4) Section 16.456.
179	179	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.