Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 3286 amends the Government Code, Education Code, and Local Government Code to authorize state agencies, institutions of higher education, school districts, and local governments to enter into contracts for water conservation measures. The bill specifies the various types of applicable fixtures, appliances, equipment, and system modifications or replacements to which installation contracts apply. It gives the state energy conservation office various coordination, federal liaison, standard setting, and other powers and duties relating to water conservation and efficiency, water management planning, and water audits and services in state government. The Texas Water Development Board is required to provide training and expertise to the staff of the office and to evaluate and help develop proposed water conservation and reuse requirements. The bill adopts, for state agency water-saving devices and measures, the same budgetary incentives as apply currently to energy-saving devices and measures. It adopts for state agencies, school districts, and local governments a requirement already applicable to institutions of higher education that cost-savings projected by an offeror for a water or energy conservation contract be reviewed by an impartial licensed professional engineer.