Amend SB 844 by striking all below the enacting clause and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:
      SECTION 1.  Section 2306.589, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
      Sec. 2306.589.  ]SCOLONIA SET-ASIDE FUND  .  (a)  The department
shall establish a fund in the department designated as the colonia
set-aside fund.
      (b)  The department by rule shall provide that an application
for assistance in paying for residential service lines, hookups,
and plumbing improvements associated with being connected to a
water supply or sewer service system may be submitted after
construction of a water supply or sewer service system begins.  The
department shall approve or disapprove a timely application before
construction of the water supply or sewer service is completed in
order to eliminate delay in hookups once construction is completed.
The department and the Texas Water Development Board shall
coordinate the application process for hookup funds under this
subsection and under Subchapter L, Chapter 15, Water Code, and
shall share information elicited by each agency's application
procedure in order to avoid duplication of effort and to eliminate
the need for applicants to complete different forms with similar
information.
      (c)  The department may use money in the colonia set-aside
fund for specific activities that assist colonias, including:
            (1)  the operation and activities of the self-help
centers established under this subchapter; <or>
            (2)  reimbursement of colonia advisory committee
members for their reasonable expenses in the manner provided by
Article 6252-33, Revised Statutes, or the General Appropriations
Act; and
            (3)  funding for the provision of water and sewer
service connections in accordance with Subsection (b).
      (d) <(c)>  The department may review and approve an
application for funding from the colonia set-aside fund that
advances the policy and goals of the state in addressing problems
in the colonias.
      SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
      SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby
suspended.