Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 995	House Author:  González, Mary
Effective:  6-10-15	Senate Sponsor:  Rodríguez

            House Bill 995 amends the Local Government Code to establish a stormwater control and recapture planning authority in El Paso County, as well as in other large counties that receive less than a certain amount of average annual rainfall based on a certain period, and to make such an authority a political subdivision of the state. An authority's territory includes all of the territory in the affected county in which the authority is located except any territory within the boundaries or extraterritorial jurisdiction of that county's largest municipality, provided that the municipality has a plan in place for the control of stormwater on the date the authority is established.

            House Bill 995 requires an authority to coordinate and adopt a long-range master plan to facilitate the development and management of integrated stormwater control and recapture projects and facilities within the authority's territory; apply for, accept, and receive gifts, grants, loans, and other money available from any source to perform its purposes; and assist certain entities represented on the authority's board of directors in carrying out an objective included in the master plan. The bill prohibits an authority from imposing a tax, issuing bonds, or regulating the structures or facilities of an electric utility.