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.