By Keel                                               H.B. No. 3392

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the administration, powers, duties, operation and

 1-3     financing of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District, in Travis and

 1-4     Williamson Counties, Texas.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  DEFINITION.  In this Act, "District" means Wells

 1-7     Branch Municipal Utility District, located in Travis and Williamson

 1-8     Counties, Texas.

 1-9           SECTION 2.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of this Act is to meet the

1-10     special needs of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District, which was

1-11     created and operates under Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas

1-12     Constitution.

1-13           SECTION 3.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.  The legislature finds that

1-14     there exists a public necessity to amend the law governing Wells

1-15     Branch Municipal Utility District pursuant to Article XVI, Section

1-16     59 of the Texas Constitution and that this Act will further the

1-17     conservation and development of the natural resources of the State

1-18     within this District.

1-19           SECTION 4.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY

1-20     DISTRICT.  Subchapter B, Chapter 42, Local Government Code, is

1-21     amended by adding Section 42.049 to read as follows:

1-22           Sec. 42.049.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY

 2-1     DISTRICT.  (a)  Wells Branch Municipal Utility District is

 2-2     authorized to contract with a municipality:

 2-3                 (1)  to provide for payments to be made to the

 2-4     municipality for purposes that the governing body of the District

 2-5     determines will further regional cooperation between the District

 2-6     and the municipality; and

 2-7                 (2)  to provide other lawful terms and considerations

 2-8     that the District and the municipality agree are reasonable and

 2-9     appropriate.

2-10                 (3)  A contract entered into under this section may be

2-11     for a term that is mutually agreeable to the parties.  The parties

2-12     to such a contract may renew or extend the contract.

2-13           (b)  A municipality may contract with the District to

2-14     accomplish the purposes set forth in subsection (a).  In a contract

2-15     entered into under this section, a municipality may agree that the

2-16     District will remain in existence and be exempt from annexation by

2-17     the municipality for the term of the contract.

2-18           (c)  A contract entered into under this section will be

2-19     binding upon all subsequent governing bodies of the District and of

2-20     the municipality for the term of the contract.

2-21           (d)  The District may make annual appropriations from its

2-22     operations and maintenance tax or other revenues lawfully available

2-23     to the District to make payments to a municipality under a contract

2-24     entered into under this section.

2-25           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 3-3     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 3-4     passage, and it is so enacted.