By: Lindsay S.B. No. 1600 Line and page numbers may not match official copy. Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the authority of political subdivisions to regulate 1-2 coastal erosion and coastal flooding. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 16.320, Water Code, is amended to read as 1-5 follows: 1-6 Sec. 16.320. Coastal Erosion. The Commissioner of the 1-7 General Land Office is authorized to perform all acts necessary to 1-8 develop and implement a program for certification of structures 1-9 subject to imminent collapse due to erosion under the National 1-10 Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. Section 4001 et seq.). This 1-11 program shall include administrative rules adequate to meet all 1-12 erosion-related requirements of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1-13 1968 (42 U.S.C. Section 4001 et seq.), including the establishment 1-14 of required erosion zones in order for the state to receive 1-15 approval to administer the program. This section shall apply to 1-16 any amendment of or law replacing Section 4013(c) of the National 1-17 Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. Section 4001 et seq.). All 1-18 actions taken by political subdivisions under Section 16.315 of 1-19 this code with respect to structures in imminent danger of collapse 1-20 from coastal erosion must comply with rules and regulations adopted 1-21 by the commissioner under this section. A political subdivision is 2-1 not precluded from establishing rules and regulations that are 2-2 stricter than those established by the Commissioner of the General 2-3 Land Office. 2-4 SECTION 2. Section 16.321, Water Code, is amended to read as 2-5 follows: 2-6 Sec. 16.321. Coastal Flooding. The Commissioner of the 2-7 General Land Office shall adopt and enforce reasonable rules and 2-8 regulations necessary for protection from flooding on barrier 2-9 islands, peninsulas, and mainland areas fronting on the Gulf of 2-10 Mexico. Rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section 2-11 shall be limited to those matters that political subdivisions are 2-12 authorized to address under Section 16.315 of this code and may not 2-13 impose requirements stricter than those established by the federal 2-14 agency administering the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 2-15 U.S.C. Section 4001 et seq.). All actions taken by political 2-16 subdivisions under Section 16.315 of this code with respect to 2-17 flooding on barrier islands, peninsulas, and mainland areas 2-18 fronting on the Gulf of Mexico must comply with rules and 2-19 regulations adopted by the commissioner under this section. A 2-20 political subdivision is not precluded from establishing rules and 2-21 regulations that are stricter than those established by the 2-22 Commissioner of the General Land Office. 2-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-24 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.