BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1302 By: Greenberg (Barrientos) Natural Resources 05-19-95 Senate Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Water Code authorizes municipal utility districts (MUDs) to provide tax-exempt funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. MUDs are restricted in providing urban services by their consent agreements, which often overlook basic services that MUDs could provide. For example, the Tanglewood Forest MUD in Austin lacks any legal authority to install and maintain street lights. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1302 authorizes the Tanglewood Forest Municipality District to use general operating funds to install, operate, and maintain street or security lighting. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Defines "district" to mean the Tanglewood Forest Municipal Utility District. SECTION 2. Authorizes the district, notwithstanding Section 54.236, Water Code, to use general operating funds to install, operate, and maintain street or security lighting (lighting) in an area in the district that has had water utilities and streets for at least eight years, and the developer of the area has not installed the lighting as required as a condition to the municipality's granting its consent to the creation of the district under Section 54.016, Water Code. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.