By Najera H.B. No. 701 77R494 JJT-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to certain fees imposed by the Lower Valley Water 1-3 District. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 780, Acts of the 69th Legislature, Regular 1-6 Session, 1985, is amended by adding Section 14A to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 14A. (a) In this section, "standby fee" and 1-8 "undeveloped property" have the meanings assigned by Section 1-9 49.231, Water Code. 1-10 (b) The Lower Valley Water District may impose a monthly fee 1-11 only for a service provided by the district. The district may not 1-12 impose a minimum rate fee on property where a service is not 1-13 provided or where a service is underutilized. 1-14 (c) To encourage owners of property to connect to district 1-15 services, the Lower Valley Water District may impose an annual 1-16 standby fee on the owner of undeveloped property only as provided 1-17 by Section 49.231, Water Code. In addition to the requirements of 1-18 that section: 1-19 (1) the notices published and mailed as provided by 1-20 Section 49.231(e), Water Code, must be in both English and Spanish 1-21 and include: 1-22 (A) a clear explanation of the amount and 1-23 purpose of the fee; and 1-24 (B) a comparison of the costs of connecting to 2-1 district services and the amount of the fee; and 2-2 (2) annually, not later than the 60th day before the 2-3 date the district charges a property owner a standby fee, the 2-4 district must by certified mail give the property owner a notice in 2-5 both English and Spanish that the fee will be imposed if the 2-6 property owner does not connect to the service for which the fee is 2-7 imposed. 2-8 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-9 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-10 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-11 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-12 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.