1-1     By:  Barrientos                                       S.B. No. 1809

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 1997; March 24, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;

 1-4     April 10, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 10,

 1-5     Nays 0; April 10, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the administration, powers, duties, operation, and

 1-9     financing of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District in Travis and

1-10     Williamson Counties.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  DEFINITION.  In this Act, "District" means Wells

1-13     Branch Municipal Utility District, located in Travis and Williamson

1-14     Counties, Texas.

1-15           SECTION 2.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of this Act is to meet the

1-16     special needs of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District, which was

1-17     created and operates under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas

1-18     Constitution.

1-19           SECTION 3.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.  The legislature finds that

1-20     there exists a public necessity to amend the law governing Wells

1-21     Branch Municipal Utility District pursuant to Section 59, Article

1-22     XVI, Texas Constitution, and that this Act will further the

1-23     conservation and development of the natural resources of the state

1-24     within this district.

1-25           SECTION 4.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY

1-26     DISTRICT.  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Local Government Code, is

1-27     amended by adding Section 42.049 to read as follows:

1-28           Sec. 42.049.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY

1-29     DISTRICT.  (a)(1)  Wells Branch Municipal Utility district is

1-30     authorized to contract with a municipality:

1-31                       (A)  to provide for payments to be made to the

1-32     municipality for purposes that the governing body of the district

1-33     determines will further regional cooperation between the district

1-34     and the municipality; and

1-35                       (B)  to provide other lawful terms and

1-36     considerations that the district and the municipality agree are

1-37     reasonable and appropriate.

1-38                 (2)  A contract entered into under this section may be

1-39     for a term that is mutually agreeable to the parties.  The parties

1-40     to such a contract may renew or extend the contract.

1-41           (b)  A municipality may contract with the district to

1-42     accomplish the purposes set forth in Subsection (a).  In a contract

1-43     entered into under this section, a municipality may agree that the

1-44     district will remain in existence and be exempt from annexation by

1-45     the municipality for the term of the contract.

1-46           (c)  A contract entered into under this section will be

1-47     binding on all subsequent governing bodies of the district and of

1-48     the municipality for the term of the contract.

1-49           (d)  The district may make annual appropriations from its

1-50     operations and maintenance tax or other revenues lawfully available

1-51     to the district to make payments to a municipality under a contract

1-52     entered into under this section.

1-53           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-54     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-55     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-56     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-57     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-58     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-59     passage, and it is so enacted.

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