By:  Staples                                                      S.B. No. 1836
	(In the Senate - Filed March 14, 2003; March 24, 2003, read 
first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 
April 30, 2003, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 
Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 30, 2003, 
sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1836                                   By:  Staples


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to eligibility of nonborder areas for certain state 
assistance.  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (i), Section 15.407, Water Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(i)  If, after submission of an application under this 
section, a county fails to meet [has an increase in average per 
capita income or a decrease in unemployment rate average so that the 
county no longer meets] the definition of an affected county in 
Section 16.341, the political subdivision that submits the 
application continues to be eligible for the funds under this 
section, and the board shall process the application for facility 
engineering and, if the application is approved, shall provide 
funds for the facility engineering plan to the political 
subdivision.
	SECTION 2.  Subdivision (1), Section 16.341, Water Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
		(1)  "Affected county" means a county that:                            
			(A)  [that] has a per capita income that averaged 
25 percent below the state average for the most recent three 
consecutive years for which statistics are available and an 
unemployment rate that averaged 25 percent above the state average 
for the most recent three consecutive years for which statistics 
are available; [or]
			(B)  [that] is adjacent to an international 
border; or
			(C)  is otherwise eligible for financial 
assistance under Subchapter K, Chapter 17.
	SECTION 3.  Section 17.923, Water Code, is amended to read as 
follows:       
	Sec. 17.923.  COUNTY ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.  
(a)  To be eligible for financial assistance under this subchapter, 
a county:
		(1)  must have a per capita income that averaged 25 
percent below the state average for the most recent three 
consecutive years for which statistics are available and an 
unemployment rate that averaged 25 percent above the state average 
for the most recent three consecutive years for which statistics 
are available; or
		(2)  must be located adjacent to an international 
border.                   
	(b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), if the board adopts a 
resolution stating that the proceeds of the bonds authorized by 
Section 49-d-7(b), Article III, Texas Constitution, have been fully 
committed, any county with an economically distressed area is 
eligible for financial assistance under this subchapter beginning 
on the date the resolution is adopted.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.



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