By Keel                                               H.B. No. 2274
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the administration, powers, duties, operation and
 1-3     financing of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District in Travis and
 1-4     Williamson counties.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  DEFINITION.  In this Act, "district" means Wells
 1-7     Branch Municipal Utility District, located in Travis and Williamson
 1-8     counties, Texas.
 1-9           SECTION 2.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of this Act is to meet the
1-10     special needs of Wells Branch Municipal Utility District, which was
1-11     created and operates under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas
1-12     Constitution.
1-13           SECTION 3.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.  The legislature finds that
1-14     there exists a public necessity to amend the law governing Wells
1-15     Branch Municipal Utility District pursuant to Section 59, Article
1-16     XVI, Texas Constitution, and that this Act will further the
1-17     conservation and development of the natural resources of the state
1-18     within this district.
1-19           SECTION 4.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY
1-20     DISTRICT.  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Local Government Code, is
1-21     amended by adding Section 42.049 to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 42.049.  AUTHORITY OF WELLS BRANCH MUNICIPAL UTILITY
1-23     DISTRICT.  (a)  Wells Branch Municipal Utility district is
1-24     authorized to contract with a municipality:
 2-1                 (1)  to provide for payments to be made to the
 2-2     municipality for purposes that the governing body of the district
 2-3     determines will further regional cooperation between the district
 2-4     and the municipality; and
 2-5                 (2)  to provide other lawful terms and considerations
 2-6     that the district and the municipality agree are reasonable and
 2-7     appropriate.
 2-8           (b)  A contract entered into under this section may be for a
 2-9     term that is mutually agreeable to the parties.  The parties to
2-10     such a contract may renew or extend the contract.
2-11           (c)  A municipality may contract with the district to
2-12     accomplish the purposes set forth in Subsection (a) of this
2-13     section.  In a contract entered into under this section, a
2-14     municipality may agree that the district will remain in existence
2-15     and be exempt from annexation by the municipality for the term of
2-16     the contract.
2-17           (d)  A contract entered into under this section will be
2-18     binding on all subsequent governing bodies of the district and of
2-19     the municipality for the term of the contract.
2-20           (e)  The district may make annual appropriations from its
2-21     operations and maintenance tax or other revenues lawfully available
2-22     to the district to make payments to a municipality under a contract
2-23     entered into under this section.
2-24           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-25     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 3-2     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-3     passage, and it is so enacted.