C.S.H.B. 1628 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 1628
By: Keffer, Jim
Natural Resources
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Certain municipal utility districts (districts) are financially solvent
entities and have outstanding long-term indebtedness that is BBB rated.
C.S.H.B. 1628 proposes to grant flexibility to certain districts that is
already currently enjoyed by most municipalities across the state.
C.S.H.B. 1628 provides that certain municipal utility districts are not
required to provide escrow funds to the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) to secure bond financing for certain projects.  This bill
does not waive the requirement for municipal utility districts to provide
engineering plans for proposed projects to the TCEQ, nor does it impact
the TCEQ's authority to review the technical merits of proposed projects.  


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 49.181(h), Water Code, to add Subsection (h) (5)
which adds certain municipal utility districts to the list of entities not
affected by Section 49.181. 

SECTION 2. Excludes bonds for which applications have already been
submitted to TCEQ from the provisions of this bill. 

SECTION 3. Effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1628 is a legislative council draft of the original.