88R26417 SCP-D
 
  By: Rogers H.B. No. 5406
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 5406:
 
  By:  King of Uvalde C.S.H.B. No. 5406
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of the Cross Timbers Regional Utility
  Authority; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing
  authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments
  and fees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle F, Title 6, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by adding Chapter 7966A to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 7966A. CROSS TIMBERS REGIONAL UTILITY AUTHORITY
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 7966A.0101.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Authority" means the Cross Timbers Regional
  Utility Authority.
               (2)  "Board" means the board of directors of the
  authority.
               (3)  "Director" means a member of the board.
         Sec. 7966A.0102.  NATURE OF AUTHORITY. (a) The authority is
  a conservation and reclamation district created under Section 59,
  Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
         (b)  The authority is a political subdivision of this state.
         Sec. 7966A.0103.  FINDINGS OF BENEFIT AND PUBLIC PURPOSE.
  (a) The authority is created to serve a public use and benefit.
         (b)  All land and other property included in the boundaries
  of the authority will benefit from the works and projects
  accomplished by the authority under the powers conferred by Section
  59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
         (c)  The creation of the authority is essential to accomplish
  the purposes of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
  SUBCHAPTER B. AUTHORITY TERRITORY
         Sec. 7966A.0201.  AUTHORITY TERRITORY. The authority is
  composed of all of the territory contained in Palo Pinto County,
  Parker County, and Stephens County, as that territory may have been
  modified under:
               (1)  Subchapter H, Chapter 54, Water Code;
               (2)  Subchapter J, Chapter 49, Water Code; or
               (3)  other law.
  SUBCHAPTER C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
         Sec. 7966A.0301.  COMPOSITION OF BOARD; TERMS.  (a)  The
  authority is governed by a board of seven directors.
         (b)  Directors are appointed as follows:
               (1)  one director appointed by the Commissioners Court
  of Palo Pinto County;
               (2)  three directors appointed by the Commissioners
  Court of Parker County;
               (3)  one director appointed by the Commissioners Court
  of Stephens County; and
               (4)  two directors appointed by the city council of the
  City of Mineral Wells.
         (c)  Directors serve staggered four-year terms. Directors
  may not serve more than two terms.
         (d)  When a director's term expires, the appointing entity
  shall appoint a successor.
         (e)  The board shall select a presiding officer from among
  the directors who have served on the board for at least two years to
  serve in that position for the remainder of the director's term.
         Sec. 7966A.0302.  QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE. (a) Each
  director must be a qualified voter of the county or municipality
  that appoints the director.
         (b)  An officer, employee, or member of an appointing entity
  or of a political subdivision located in the authority may not be a
  director.
         Sec. 7966A.0303.  BOARD VACANCY. A vacancy in the office of
  director shall be filled for the unexpired term, if applicable, by
  the appointing entity that appointed the previous director.
         Sec. 7966A.0304.  REMOVAL FROM OFFICE. (a) Under
  procedures adopted by board rule, the board may remove a director
  from office only for malfeasance in office.
         (b)  The procedures must be designed to guarantee due process
  to the director.
         Sec. 7966A.0305.  VOTING REQUIREMENT. A majority vote of
  the board is required to adopt any measure.
  SUBCHAPTER D. POWERS AND DUTIES
         Sec. 7966A.0401.  MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POWERS. Except
  as otherwise provided by this chapter, the authority has the
  rights, powers, privileges, and functions conferred and imposed by
  the general law applicable to a municipal utility district created
  under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, including those
  conferred by Chapters 30, 49, and 54, Water Code.
         Sec. 7966A.0402.  ACQUISITION AND USE OF PROPERTY. The
  authority may operate, control, purchase, construct, lease, or
  acquire, inside or outside the boundaries of the authority,
  property, works, facilities, or improvements, whether previously
  existing or to be made, constructed, or acquired, that the board
  finds necessary to carry out the powers granted by this chapter or
  general law.
         Sec. 7966A.0403.  WATER RIGHTS. The authority may acquire,
  develop, and use rights to groundwater or surface water.
         Sec. 7966A.0404.  EMINENT DOMAIN. (a)  Except as provided by
  Subsection (b), to carry out an authority power or purpose, the
  authority, in the manner provided by Chapter 49, Water Code, may
  exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire land, an easement,
  or other property inside or outside the authority's boundaries.
         (b)  The authority may not exercise the power of eminent
  domain to acquire land owned by a municipal water district that the
  district has acquired as a surface water reservoir site.
         Sec. 7966A.0405.  GENERAL CONTRACT POWERS. (a) The
  authority may enter into a contract with a person, including a
  political subdivision, on terms the board considers desirable,
  fair, and advantageous for:
               (1)  the purchase or sale of raw or treated water;
               (2)  the purchase, lease, use, management, control, or
  operation of water treatment or distribution facilities or sewer
  collection and treatment facilities, all or part of the facilities
  or systems owned by the other political subdivision, in accordance
  with terms mutually agreed on by the governing bodies of the
  contracting parties; or
               (3)  planning, making preliminary surveys,
  investigations, or feasibility reports, engineering, or reports of
  any kind.
         (b)  A contract for the acquisition of an existing water or
  sewer facility may be made on terms approved by the contracting
  parties.
         (c)  If changes in plans or specifications are necessary
  after performance of a construction contract begins, the board may
  approve change orders necessary to decrease or increase the amount
  of materials, equipment, or supplies to be provided under the
  contract or the amount of work to be performed.  The total cost of
  the change orders may not increase the original contract price by
  more than 25 percent.
         Sec. 7966A.0406.  WATER, SEWER, SOLID WASTE, OR DRAINAGE
  CONTRACTS; ELECTION NOT REQUIRED. The authority and a municipal
  corporation or other political subdivision may enter into a water,
  sewer, solid waste, or drainage contract or any combination of
  those contracts without the necessity of an election by any
  contracting party to approve the contract.
         Sec. 7966A.0407.  TREATMENT OF PAYMENTS UNDER CERTAIN
  MUNICIPAL CORPORATION CONTRACTS. A payment by a municipal
  corporation for the purchase of water or the treatment and disposal
  of sewage is a maintenance and operating expense of the utility
  system or combined systems of the municipal corporation unless the
  contract:
               (1)  provides for the municipal corporation to acquire
  an ownership interest in the facilities; or
               (2)  makes other provisions.
         Sec. 7966A.0408.  TAX PROHIBITION. The authority may not
  impose a tax.
  SUBCHAPTER E.  BONDS
         Sec. 7966A.0501.  REVENUE BONDS. The authority may issue
  revenue bonds to carry out any of its powers, functions, or
  obligations.
         Sec. 7966A.0502.  BONDS FOR CERTAIN FACILITIES. If the
  authority operates a facility under contract with a municipal
  corporation, it may, if the contract permits the issuance, issue
  bonds to improve or extend the facility.
         SECTION 2.  (a) Not later than the 45th day after the
  effective date of this Act, the city council of the City of Mineral
  Wells and the commissioners courts of Palo Pinto County, Parker
  County, and Stephens County each shall appoint the appropriate
  number of directors to the board of directors of the Cross Timbers
  Regional Utility Authority as required under Section 7966A.0301,
  Special District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Section 7966A.0301(e), Special
  District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act, at the first meeting
  of the board of directors of the Cross Timbers Regional Utility
  Authority after the effective date of this Act, the board shall
  select a presiding officer from among the directors appointed under
  Subsection (a) of this section to serve as presiding officer for the
  remainder of the director's term.
         (c)  The presiding officer selected under Subsection (b) of
  this section will serve an initial term that expires January 1,
  2027.  The six other directors appointed under Subsection (a) of
  this section shall draw lots to determine which three directors
  will serve initial terms that expire on January 1, 2025, and which
  three directors will serve initial terms that expire January 1,
  2027.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  The legal notice of the intention to
  introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
  Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
  copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
  officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
  under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
  Government Code.
         (b)  The governor, one of the required recipients, has
  submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
         (c)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
  its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives within the required time.
         (d)  All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
  state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
  to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
  and accomplished.
         SECTION 4.  (a)  Section 7966A.0404, Special District Local
  Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of this Act, takes effect only if
  this Act receives a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to
  each house.
         (b)  If this Act does not receive a two-thirds vote of all the
  members elected to each house, Subchapter D, Chapter 7966A, Special
  District Local Laws Code, as added by Section 1 of this Act, is
  amended by adding Section 7966A.0404 to read as follows:
         Sec. 7966A.0404.  NO EMINENT DOMAIN POWER. The authority
  may not exercise the power of eminent domain.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.