By Lewis of Orange                                    H.B. No. 1900
         76R3905 SMJ-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to grants from the water loan assistance fund for certain
 1-3     projects.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 15.102(b), Water Code, is amended to read
 1-6     as follows:
 1-7           (b)  The board may use the loan fund [may also be used by the
 1-8     board] to provide grants for projects that include:
 1-9                 (1)  the provision of [supplying] water and wastewater
1-10     services in economically distressed areas, including projects
1-11     involving retail distribution of those services;
1-12                 (2)  agricultural water conservation;
1-13                 (3)  weather modification; or
1-14                 (4)  brush control.
1-15           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-16           (b)  The change in law made by this Act applies only to an
1-17     application for a grant from the water loan assistance fund that is
1-18     filed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A grant
1-19     application that is filed before the effective date of this Act is
1-20     governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
1-21     of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.