By Gallego                                             H.B. No. 630
         76R3882 DWS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the purposes and powers of an electric cooperative
 1-3     corporation serving a border county.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 161, Utilities Code, is
 1-6     amended by  adding Section 161.126 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 161.126.  ADDITIONAL PURPOSES AND POWERS OF ELECTRIC
 1-8     COOPERATIVE SERVING BORDER COUNTIES.  (a)  This section applies
 1-9     only to an electric cooperative that serves retail customers in a
1-10     county that is contiguous to an international border.
1-11           (b)  In addition to the purposes and powers otherwise
1-12     provided by this chapter, an electric cooperative to which this
1-13     section applies that complies with all requirements of a public
1-14     utility under Chapter 13, Water Code, may provide, directly or
1-15     through an affiliate, the following activities within any portion
1-16     of the electric cooperative's service area:
1-17                 (1)  rural community utility and utility-related
1-18     services, including water and sewer services, Internet services,
1-19     and telephone answering services, but not including
1-20     telecommunications services governed by  Subtitle C, Title 2, or
1-21     electricity;
1-22                 (2)  management or operating services to or for another
1-23     electric cooperative or another entity engaged in purposes
1-24     authorized by  Section 161.122; and
 2-1                 (3)  economic and industrial development promotion
 2-2     through participation as a borrower or lender under a federal
 2-3     program.
 2-4           (c)  The electric cooperative has all powers, including the
 2-5     power to borrow money, necessary or appurtenant to the purposes and
 2-6     powers provided by Subsection (b).
 2-7           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-12     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-13     passage, and it is so enacted.