S.B. 1084 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1084
By: Madla
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1989, the 71st Texas Legislature created the Economically Distressed
Areas Program (EDAP) 
under the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). These areas receive grants
and/or loans from TWDB to provide water and wastewater services. EDAP
counties are those counties that either have a per capita income 25
percent below the state average and unemployment 25 percent above the
state average for the last three years, or are adjacent to an
international border. Senate Bill 1084 would require that a loan received
through the TWDB's EDAP program is interest-free. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Senate Bill 1084 amends the Water Code to require the Texas
Water Development Board, in providing financial assistance in the form of
a loan under the Economically Distressed Areas Program to a conservation
and reclamation district created under authority of Section 52 (b) (1) or
(2), Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, to make
the loan to the district without charging interest. 

SECTION 2. Prospective clause.

SECTION 3. Effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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