SRC-MAX S.B. 1558 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1558
By: Wentworth
Natural Resources
4-7-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the Water Code provides no method for enlarging an existing
defined area within which taxes have been imposed and improvements are
being constructed.  This bill allows the owner of land, whether inside or
outside the water control and improvement district, to petition for
inclusion in an existing defined area.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1558 authorizes a landowner to add land to a defined
area within a water control and improvement district under certain
conditions. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51L, Water Code, by adding Section 51.530a, as
follows: 

Sec.  51.530a.  Authorizes the owner of land to file with the board of
directors (board) of a district a petition requesting that the land
described by metes and bounds in the petition, whether contiguous or not
to the defined area, be included within the defined area previously
established pursuant to Section 51.518 of this code.  Authorizes the board
to require the petitioner or petitioners to assume their share of the
outstanding  bonds, notes, or other obligations and the voted but unissued
tax bonds of the defined area and authorize the board to levy a tax on
their property in each year in which any of the obligations payable in
whole or in part from taxation on the defined area are outstanding to pay
their share of the indebtedness.  Requires a petition of the landowner to
add land to the defined area to be signed and executed in the manner
provided by law for the conveyance of real estate. Requires the board to
hear and consider the petition and may add to the defined area the land
described in the petition if it is feasible, practicable, and to the
advantage of the defined area and if the defined area's system and other
improvements of the defined are are sufficient or will be sufficient to
supply the added land without injuring land already in the defined area.
Authorizes the board to issue the voted but unissued bonds even though the
boundaries of the defined area have been altered since the authorization
of the bonds under certain conditions.  Requires the granted petition to
be filed for record and to be recorded in the office of the county clerk
of the county or counties in which the added land is located. 

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  90 days after adjournment.