By: Truan, Lucio, West S.B. No. 844
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the provision of water and sewer service in certain
1-2 economically distressed areas.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 2306.589, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 2306.589. Colonia Set-Aside Fund. (a) The department
1-7 shall establish a fund in the department designated as the colonia
1-8 set-aside fund.
1-9 (b) The department by rule shall provide that an application
1-10 for assistance in paying for residential service lines, hookups,
1-11 and plumbing improvements associated with being connected to a
1-12 water supply or sewer service system may be submitted after
1-13 construction of a water supply or sewer service system begins. The
1-14 department shall approve or disapprove a timely application before
1-15 construction of the water supply or sewer service is completed in
1-16 order to eliminate delay in hookups once construction is completed.
1-17 The department and the Texas Water Development Board shall
1-18 coordinate the application process for hookup funds under this
1-19 subsection and under Subchapter L, Chapter 15, Water Code, and
1-20 shall share information elicited by each agency's application
1-21 procedure in order to avoid duplication of effort and to eliminate
1-22 the need for applicants to complete different forms with similar
1-23 information.
2-1 (c) The department may use money in the colonia set-aside
2-2 fund for specific activities that assist colonias, including:
2-3 (1) the operation and activities of the self-help
2-4 centers established under this subchapter; [or]
2-5 (2) reimbursement of colonia advisory committee
2-6 members for their reasonable expenses in the manner provided by
2-7 Article 6252-33, Revised Statutes, or the General Appropriations
2-8 Act; and
2-9 (3) funding for the provision of water and sewer
2-10 service connections in accordance with Subsection (b).
2-11 (d) [(c)] The department may review and approve an
2-12 application for funding from the colonia set-aside fund that
2-13 advances the policy and goals of the state in addressing problems
2-14 in the colonias.
2-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-21 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
2-22 Amend S.B. 844 as follows:
2-23 Strike SECTION 1 and substitute a new SECTION 1 to read as
2-24 follows:
2-25 "SECTION 1. Section 2306.589, Government Code, is amended to
3-1 read as follows:
3-2 Sec. 2306.589. COLONIA SET-ASIDE FUND. (a) The department
3-3 shall establish a fund in the department designated as the colonia
3-4 set-aside fund.
3-5 (b) The department by rule shall provide that an application
3-6 for assistance in paying for residential service lines and hookups
3-7 associated with being connected to a water supply or sewer service
3-8 system may be submitted after construction of a water supply or
3-9 sewer service system begins. Money in the fund may not be used to
3-10 pay for indoor plumbing facilities and fixtures. The department
3-11 shall approve or disapprove a timely application before
3-12 construction of the water supply or sewer service is completed in
3-13 order to eliminate delay in hookups once construction is completed.
3-14 The department and the Texas Water Development Board shall
3-15 coordinate the application process for hookup funds under this
3-16 subsection and under Subchapter L, Chapter 15, Water Code, and
3-17 shall share information elicited by each agency's application
3-18 procedure in order to avoid duplication of effort and to eliminate
3-19 the need for applicants to complete different forms with similar
3-20 information."
3-21 Culberson