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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a grant program to provide direct |
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financial assistance to certain residents of this state who were |
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affected by the winter disaster of 2021. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Providing Ongoing |
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Water and Energy Resources (POWER) to Texas Consumers Act. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 403.0281 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 403.0281. GRANTS FOR RESPONSE TO WINTER DISASTER OF |
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2021. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Eligible resident" means a resident of this state |
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who: |
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(A) is a member of a household that earns not more |
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than 60 percent of the area median income; or |
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(B) receives state or federal public benefits. |
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(2) "Local government" means a municipality or county. |
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(3) "Qualifying nonprofit" means a nonprofit |
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organization that provides services to connect persons with |
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programs operated by local governments, including the grant program |
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under this section. |
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(4) "Winter disaster of 2021" means the weather event |
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that involved snowfall, ice accumulation, and below freezing |
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temperatures and that occurred in this state between February 14, |
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2021, and February 20, 2021. |
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(b) Using money available for the purpose, the comptroller |
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shall establish and administer a program to provide grants to local |
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governments which may be used only to provide direct financial |
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assistance to the local governments' eligible residents who were |
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affected by the winter disaster of 2021. |
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(c) The comptroller shall establish: |
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(1) the formula to be used to distribute the grants to |
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local governments; |
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(2) deadlines for the disbursement and spending of |
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grant money; |
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(3) a standardized application process to be used by |
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each local government that receives a grant under this section; and |
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(4) procedures for: |
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(A) monitoring the disbursements of grants by |
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local governments to ensure compliance with this section; and |
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(B) the return of grant money that was not used by |
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a local government to provide direct financial assistance. |
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(d) A local government may: |
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(1) use grant money awarded under this section only |
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for the purpose described by Subsection (b); |
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(2) provide direct financial assistance to an eligible |
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resident in any amount that is not less than $1,000 or more than |
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$2,500 if the local government determines that the eligible |
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resident was affected by the winter disaster of 2021; |
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(3) prioritize the award of grants to eligible |
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residents most in need of assistance, as determined by the local |
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government; and |
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(4) contract with a qualifying nonprofit to ensure the |
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local government's eligible residents are made aware of the grant |
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program. |
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(e) The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts, grants, |
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and donations from any source for the purpose of awarding grants |
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under this section. |
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(f) The comptroller shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than the 30th day following the |
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effective date of this Act, the comptroller of public accounts |
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shall comply with the requirements of Section 403.0281(c), |
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Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |