1-1     By:  Keel (Senate Sponsor - Barrientos)               H.B. No. 2274
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
 1-4     Resources; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, 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)  Wells Branch Municipal Utility district is
1-30     authorized to contract with a municipality:
1-31                 (1)  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                 (2)  to provide other lawful terms and considerations
1-36     that the district and the municipality agree are reasonable and
1-37     appropriate.
1-38           (b)  A contract entered into under this section may be for a
1-39     term that is mutually agreeable to the parties.  The parties to
1-40     such a contract may renew or extend the contract.
1-41           (c)  A municipality may contract with the district to
1-42     accomplish the purposes set forth in Subsection (a) of this
1-43     section.  In a contract entered into under this section, a
1-44     municipality may agree that the district will remain in existence
1-45     and be exempt from annexation by the municipality for the term of
1-46     the contract.
1-47           (d)  A contract entered into under this section will be
1-48     binding on all subsequent governing bodies of the district and of
1-49     the municipality for the term of the contract.
1-50           (e)  The district may make annual appropriations from its
1-51     operations and maintenance tax or other revenues lawfully available
1-52     to the district to make payments to a municipality under a contract
1-53     entered into under this section.
1-54           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-55     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-56     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-57     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-58     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-59     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-60     passage, and it is so enacted.
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