HBA-CBW H.B. 3194 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3194
By: Howard
Natural Resources
4/4/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Levee Improvement Districts (LIDs) are political subdivisions of the state
and are created to construct and maintain levees and other improvements
along rivers, creeks, and streams and to provide for the proper drainage of
reclaimed land. LIDs may buy property, make loans, and issue bonds secured
by ad valorem taxation.  The Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District
Number __  is composed of 1984 acres of property owned by the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and is intended to enhance the value
of the property before the General Land Office offers it for sale on behalf
of TxDOT.  House Bill 3194 creates the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement
District Number __. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3194 creates the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District
Number __ (district) (Sec. 1.01).  The bill provides that the district is
governed by a board of five directors (board) and sets forth provisions
regarding the appointment, election, qualifications, and terms of the
directors, as well as the administration and organization of the board
(Secs. 2.01 - 2.08, and 8.02).  The bill authorizes the board to employ a
general manager, consulting engineers, financial consultants, attorneys,
and auditors (Sec. 2.09).  The bill authorizes the district to maintain its
principal office in Fort Bend County or Travis County if the district has
not issued bonds and requires the district to maintain its principal office
in Fort Bend County if the district has issued bonds (Sec. 2.11).   

The bill sets forth provisions regarding the authority of the district and
authorizes the district to adopt and enforce rules to implement the Act
(Secs. 3.01 and 3.02). The bill authorizes the district to conduct
inspections and investigations and hold hearings (Secs. 3.03 and 3.04).
The bill also sets forth provisions regarding civil penalties and
injunctions and provides that a person who violates a rule, permit, or
order of the district is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $50
and not more than $1,000 for each violation (Sec. 3.05).  The bill
authorizes the district to contract with a person, firm, corporation,
municipal corporation, or public agency, the state, the United States, or
any agency of the state or the United States to accomplish the purposes for
which it is created  and sets forth provisions regarding the acquisition
and disposition of property (Secs. 3.06 and 3.08).  The bill sets forth
provisions regarding the disbursement of money, authorizes the district to
establish fees and charges and authorizes the district to apply for and
receive loans or grants (Secs. 4.01, 4.02, and 4.03.) The bill authorizes
the district to issue bonds, bond anticipation notes, refunding bonds, and
other obligations (Secs. 5.01- 5.05). 

The bill authorizes the board to levy and collect ad valorem taxes on land
within the district (Secs. 5.06 and 5.07).  The bill sets forth provisions
regarding addition of land to the district as well as exclusion of land
from the district  (Articles 6 and 7). 


 EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect on the 91st day after adjournment.