By Ellis                                              S.B. No. 1710
         76R8771 MI-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to financial assistance for disadvantaged communities for
 1-3     emergency and long-term water and wastewater services.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 17, Water Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter F-1 to read as follows:
 1-7          SUBCHAPTER F-1.  ASSISTANCE TO DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
 1-8                         FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE
 1-9           Sec. 17.351.  ASSISTANCE.  (a)  The board shall provide
1-10     financial assistance for emergency water supplies and for the
1-11     provision of water supply and sewer services to disadvantaged
1-12     communities in this state.
1-13           (b)  Financial assistance under this subchapter may be
1-14     provided:
1-15                 (1)  as 20-year, no-interest loans to eligible
1-16     political subdivisions; or
1-17                 (2)  by direct loans to affected disadvantaged
1-18     communities.
1-19           (c)  Procedures for application for loans and for the review
1-20     and award of loans under this subchapter shall be the same as the
1-21     procedures for the award of assistance for economically distressed
1-22     areas under Subchapter K.
1-23           (d)  Emergency loans for provision of services in extreme
1-24     drought conditions shall receive first priority in the
 2-1     administration of the program established under this subchapter.
 2-2     The board by rule shall define conditions under which a
 2-3     disadvantaged community qualifies for emergency assistance under
 2-4     the program.
 2-5           Sec. 17.352.  FUNDING.  Assistance under the program
 2-6     established by this subchapter shall be funded through
 2-7     appropriations or through bonds issued by the board for the
 2-8     purposes of this subchapter.
 2-9           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-14     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-15     passage, and it is so enacted.