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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to financial assistance provided and programs |
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administered by the Texas Water Development Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 15, Water Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter G-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G-1. NEW WATER SUPPLY FOR TEXAS FUND |
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Sec. 15.451. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "fund" means |
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the new water supply for Texas fund. |
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Sec. 15.452. FUND. The new water supply for Texas fund is a |
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special fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of: |
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(1) money appropriated to the board for a purpose of |
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the fund; |
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(2) money the board transfers to the fund from an |
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available source; |
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(3) depository interest allocable to the fund and |
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other investment returns on money in the fund; |
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(4) money from gifts, grants, or donations to the |
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fund; and |
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(5) any other fees or sources of revenue that the |
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legislature may dedicate for deposit to the fund. |
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Sec. 15.453. USE OF FUND. (a) The board by rule shall |
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undertake to finance projects through the fund that will lead to the |
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acquisition or creation of seven million acre-feet of new water |
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supplies by December 31, 2033. |
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(b) The fund may be used only to provide low-interest loans |
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to political subdivisions and wholesale water providers to develop |
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water supply projects that create new water sources for the state |
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including: |
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(1) the acquisition of water from other states; |
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(2) the development of infrastructure to transport |
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water from other states; |
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(3) desalination projects, including marine and |
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brackish water desalination; |
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(4) produced water treatment projects; and |
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(5) research into new technology that may lead to the |
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development of significant new water supply sources, as determined |
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by the board based on the amount of water the technology may |
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produce. |
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(c) The fund may be used to provide zero interest loans, |
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negative interest loans, or loan forgiveness for any purpose |
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described by Subsection (b) under criteria developed by the board. |
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Loans made under this subchapter may provide for repayment terms of |
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up to 40 years, in the board's discretion. |
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(d) Financial assistance described by Subsection (c) for a |
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purpose described by Subsection (b) may be provided for a public |
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works project that includes the participation of or a financial |
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contribution from a nongovernmental entity, including a wholesale |
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water provider, only if a political subdivision is a participant in |
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the project. |
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(e) The board may not provide financial assistance from the |
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fund if the balance of the fund is less than $50 million. |
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Sec. 15.454. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) The board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter, including |
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rules establishing procedures for the application for and award of |
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loans, the distribution of loans, the investment of funds, and the |
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administration of loans and the fund. |
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(b) In passing on an application from a political |
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subdivision or wholesale water provider for financial assistance, |
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the board shall consider: |
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(1) the needs of the area to be served by the project, |
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the expected benefit of the project to the area, the relationship of |
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the project to the water needs of this state overall, and the |
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relationship of the project to the state water plan; |
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(2) the amount of water expected to be produced by the |
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project; and |
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(3) the availability of revenue to the political |
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subdivision or wholesale water provider from all sources for the |
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ultimate repayment of the cost of the project, including all |
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interest. |
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(c) The board by resolution may approve an application if, |
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after considering the factors listed in Subsection (b) and other |
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relevant factors, the board finds that: |
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(1) the public interest is served by state assistance |
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for the project; and |
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(2) the revenue or taxes pledged by the political |
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subdivision or wholesale water provider will be sufficient to meet |
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all the obligations assumed by the political subdivision or |
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wholesale water provider during the succeeding period of not more |
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than 30 years. |
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(d) The repayment of principal or interest on a loan made |
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under this subchapter must be deposited to the credit of the Texas |
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water fund. |
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(e) An application from a political subdivision or |
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wholesale water provider for financial assistance under this |
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subchapter must comply with the requirements of Section 16.4021. |
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(f) Sections 17.183-17.187 apply to the construction of |
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projects funded under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 15, Water Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter H-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H-1. TEXAS WATER FUND |
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Sec. 15.501. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "fund" means |
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the Texas water fund. |
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Sec. 15.502. FUND. (a) The Texas water fund is a special |
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fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. The |
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fund is administered by the board. |
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(b) The board may use the fund only to disburse money to: |
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(1) the water assistance fund established under |
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Subchapter B; |
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(2) the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas |
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established under Subchapter G; |
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(3) the new water supply for Texas fund established |
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under Subchapter G-1; |
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(4) a revolving fund established under Subchapter J; |
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(5) the rural water assistance fund established under |
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Subchapter R; and |
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(6) the Texas Water Development Fund established under |
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Subchapter C, Chapter 17. |
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(c) The board has legal title to money and investments in |
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the fund. |
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(d) The comptroller may not use the fund for certification |
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under Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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(e) Money in the fund may be used only as provided by this |
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subchapter. |
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(f) The fund consists of: |
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(1) money transferred or deposited to the credit of |
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the fund by law, including money from any source transferred or |
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deposited to the credit of the fund as authorized by law; |
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(2) any other revenue that the legislature by statute |
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dedicates for deposit to the credit of the fund; |
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(3) investment earnings and interest earned on amounts |
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credited to the fund; |
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(4) money from gifts, grants, or donations to the |
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fund; and |
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(5) the redeposit of money disbursed from the fund. |
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Sec. 15.503. MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT OF FUND. (a) Money |
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in the fund shall be invested as determined by the board. The fund |
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may be invested with the state treasury pool. |
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(b) The fund and any accounts established in the fund shall |
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be kept and maintained by or at the direction of the board. |
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(c) The fund may be managed by the comptroller or a |
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corporate trustee that is a trust company or a bank that has the |
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powers of a trust company for and on behalf of the board and pending |
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their use for the purposes provided by this subchapter may be |
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invested as provided by an order, resolution, or rule of the board. |
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(d) The comptroller or corporate trustee shall manage the |
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fund in strict accordance with this subchapter and the orders, |
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resolutions, and rules of the board. |
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Sec. 15.504. USE OF FUND. (a) Subject to legislative |
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appropriation, the board may make disbursements from the fund to a |
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fund described by Section 15.502(b) for an authorized purpose of |
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the receiving fund. |
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(b) The board may not disburse money to a fund described by |
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Section 15.502(b) until the application for the project for which |
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the money is to be used has been approved. |
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(c) The board shall ensure that a portion of the money |
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disbursed from the fund is used for: |
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(1) water infrastructure projects, prioritized by |
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risk or need, for: |
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(A) rural political subdivisions, as defined by |
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Section 15.992; and |
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(B) municipalities with a population of less than |
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150,000; |
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(2) permit-ready water infrastructure projects; and |
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(3) water conservation awareness programs. |
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(d) Money disbursed from the fund for the purposes described |
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by Subsection (c) may be disbursed to funds described by Section |
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15.502(b) to be used to provide zero interest loans, negative |
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interest loans, loan forgiveness, or grants for any purpose |
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described by Subsection (c) under criteria developed by the board. |
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(e) Money deposited to the credit of the fund as provided by |
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Section 15.454(d) may be used only for the purposes described by |
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Section 15.453(b). |
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Sec. 15.505. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The State Water |
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Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee established under |
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Section 15.438: |
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(1) shall submit comments and recommendations to the |
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board regarding the use of money in the fund for use by the board in |
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adopting rules under Section 15.506; |
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(2) shall review the overall operation, function, and |
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structure of the fund at least annually and may provide comments and |
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recommendations to the board on any matter; and |
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(3) may adopt rules, procedures, and policies as |
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needed to administer this section and implement its |
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responsibilities. |
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Sec. 15.506. RULES. (a) The board may adopt rules |
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providing for the use of money in the fund that are consistent with |
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this subchapter. |
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(b) Rules adopted under this section must require each |
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recipient of financial assistance administered through the fund to |
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submit to the board a water conservation plan that complies with the |
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requirements of Section 16.4021. |
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SECTION 3. Section 15.994(c), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) The board may use money in the fund to contract for |
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outreach, financial, planning, and technical assistance to assist |
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rural political subdivisions [in obtaining and using financing from |
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any source] for a purpose described by this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 16.0121, Water Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows: |
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(k) The board by rule shall establish a program to provide |
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technical assistance to retail public utilities in conducting water |
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audits required under Subsections (b) and (b-1) and in applying for |
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financial assistance from the board to mitigate the utility |
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system's water loss. Rules adopted under this section must provide |
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for the prioritization of technical assistance to retail public |
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utilities based on: |
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(1) water loss audits submitted to the board; |
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(2) the population served by the utility; and |
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(3) the integrity of the utility's system. |
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(l) The board shall submit to the legislature every fifth |
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year a water loss report that: |
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(1) summarizes the information compiled under |
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Subsection (f); |
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(2) summarizes the measures taken by retail public |
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utilities to reduce water loss; and |
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(3) identifies the retail public utilities |
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participating in the program established under Subsection (k) and |
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details the use of financial assistance provided under that |
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subsection. |
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SECTION 5. Section 16.4021(b), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) This section applies to an application for financial |
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assistance under: |
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(1) Subchapters C, D, E, G, G-1, H, H-1, J, O, Q, and R, |
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Chapter 15; |
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(2) Subchapters E and F of this chapter; and |
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(3) Subchapters D, F, I, K, and L, Chapter 17. |
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SECTION 6. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this Act, |
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this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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(b) Section 2 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but |
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only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 88th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, creating the Texas water fund |
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to assist in financing water projects in this state is approved by |
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the voters. If that constitutional amendment is not approved by |
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the voters, Section 2 of this Act has no effect. |