BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3007

By: Goldman

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Benbrook Water Authority was created by the legislature in 1955 and serves as the water and wastewater utility for the City of Benbrook. All cities and a large number of water supply districts are exempt from statutory provisions that require the review and approval of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for certain water and wastewater projects that will be financed by a bond issuance. These provisions serve a valid public purpose of protecting homeowners by providing for TCEQ review of the plans and specifications of water and wastewater projects by municipal utility districts and other districts created for developers who may have little or no experience in designing and constructing such projects. The authority, however, has over 65 years of expertise in designing, financing, and constructing water and wastewater projects and should be exempt from this additional regulatory oversight which can be costly to ratepayers and cause unnecessary project delays. H.B. 3007 seeks to address this issue by exempting the authority from such provisions, although the authority's bonds will continue to be subject to submission, review, and approval by the attorney general. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3007 amends Chapter 123, Acts of the 54th Legislature, Regular Session, 1955, to exempt the Benbrook Water Authority from Water Code provisions relating to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality authority over the issuance of certain water district bonds.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.