SRC-JLB S.B. 967 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 967
By: Lucio
Natural Resources
4/11/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

As proposed, S.B. 967 clarifies legislation passed during the 77th Texas
Legislature that created new water- and wastewater-related funds,
including the colonia self-help account, under the Texas Water Development
Board. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 15.903, Water Code, as added by Chapter 966,
Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as follows: 
 
Sec. 15.903.  WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.  Provides that the water
infrastructure fund is a special fund, rather than account, in the state
treasury, rather than general revenue fund, to be administered by the
Texas Water Development Board (board) under this subchapter and rules
adopted by the board under this subchapter.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 15.903(e), Water Code, as added by Chapter
1234, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to provide that
a loan provided under this subchapter may not exceed a term of 20 years.
Deletes text providing that a loan provided under this subchapter may not
exceed $250,000 for each project. 
 
SECTION 3.  Amends Section 15.951, Water Code, as added by Chapter 966,
Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as follows: 
 
Sec. 15.951.  PURPOSE.  Includes water quality enhancement projects in the
purpose of this chapter.  

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 15.953, Water Code, as added by Chapter 966,
Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as follows: 
 
Sec. 15.953.  FUND.  Provides that the rural water assistance fund is a
special fund rather than account in the state treasury rather than the
general revenue fund.  Provides that the fund consist of certain monies
including interest earned on the investment of money in the fund and
depository interest allocable to the fund rather than in the general
revenue fund. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Sections 15.954(a) and (b), Water Code, as added by
Chapter 966, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as
follows: 

(a)  Authorizes the fund to be used to provide low-interest loans to rural
political subdivisions for water or water-related projects and for water
quality enhancement projects, including the purchase of well fields, the
purchase or lease of rights to produce groundwater, onsite or wetland
wastewater treatment facilities, and interim financing of  construction
projects. 

(b)  Authorizes the fund to be used to enable a rural political
subdivision to obtain water or wastewater service supplied by larger
political subdivisions or to finance the consolidation or regionalizing of
neighboring political subdivisions or both. 
 
SECTION 6.  Amends Sections 15.952(a) and (b), Water Code, as added by
Chapter 1234, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as
follows: 

(a)  Provides that the colonia self-help account is an account in the
water assistance fund, rather than in the general revenue fund, that may
be used, rather than appropriated, by the board only for the purposes of
this subchapter. 
 
(b)  Deletes the provision that interest earned on money credited to the
account is among the funds of the account. 

SECTION 7.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.