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.