By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1028
73R5101 SMH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the powers of the Texas Water Development Board and the
1-3 executive administrator of the board.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 6.183, Water Code, is amended to read as
1-6 follows:
1-7 Sec. 6.183. Employment of Personnel. (a) The executive
1-8 administrator shall employ necessary personnel for the board.
1-9 (b) The executive administrator may employ deputy directors
1-10 as the executive administrator determines appropriate. The deputy
1-11 directors are under the direction of the executive administrator
1-12 and have the powers and duties assigned by the executive
1-13 administrator.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 15.011(b), Water Code, is amended to read
1-15 as follows:
1-16 (b) After notice and hearing and subject to any limitations
1-17 established by the General Appropriations Act, the board may
1-18 transfer money from the fund to the loan fund created under
1-19 Subchapter C of this chapter, the storage acquisition fund created
1-20 under Subchapter E of this chapter, and the research and planning
1-21 fund created under Subchapter F of this chapter, and the
1-22 hydrographic survey account created under Subchapter M <L> of this
1-23 chapter, provided the hydrographic survey account transfer does not
1-24 exceed $425,000.
2-1 SECTION 3. Section 15.012(c), Water Code, is amended to read
2-2 as follows:
2-3 (c) Money appropriated to the fund by the legislature for a
2-4 specific purpose stated in Subchapter C, E, <or> F, or M <L> of
2-5 this chapter shall be placed in the appropriate fund created by
2-6 that subchapter.
2-7 SECTION 4. Subchapter L, Chapter 15, Water Code, as added by
2-8 Chapter 3, Acts of the 72nd Legislature, 1st Called Session, 1991,
2-9 is relettered as Subchapter M, Chapter 15, Water Code, in order to
2-10 eliminate duplicate citations, and is amended by adding Section
2-11 15.8025 and by amending Section 15.803 to read as follows:
2-12 SUBCHAPTER M <L>. HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY PROGRAM
2-13 Sec. 15.8025. INSURANCE FOR CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. The board
2-14 may purchase property insurance to cover watercraft and other
2-15 capital equipment used in the program.
2-16 Sec. 15.803. Use of Account. Money in the account may be
2-17 used only to pay the costs of surveys, the costs of insurance for
2-18 watercraft and other capital equipment, and the costs of capital
2-19 equipment and personnel necessary to administer the program.
2-20 SECTION 5. Section 17.899(a), Water Code, is amended to read
2-21 as follows:
2-22 (a) The board may approve an application if, after
2-23 considering the factors in Section 17.898 and other relevant
2-24 factors, the board finds that:
2-25 (1) the public interest would be served in granting
2-26 the application;
2-27 (2) a lender district has the ability to make
3-1 conservation loans, manage a conservation loan program, and repay
3-2 the loan to the board;
3-3 (3) a borrower district has the ability to repay
3-4 <prepay> the conservation loan; and
3-5 (4) granting the application will further water
3-6 conservation in the state.
3-7 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-12 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-13 passage, and it is so enacted.