BILL ANALYSIS
By: Bailey
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Texas Water Assistance Program began in 1989 to bring water and wastewater services to economically distressed communities. Currently Harris County and adjacent counties have economically distressed areas that are lacking in adequate water and sewer services placing the public health at risk. Wells in these areas are at risk of contamination from nearby septic systems.
C.S.H.B. 467 provides that economically distressed areas in Harris and Fort Bend counties are eligible for the Texas Water Assistance Program.
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
C.S.H.B. 467 amends the Water Code to provide that certain counties are eligible for financial assistance under the Texas Water Assistance Program for providing water and sewer services, connections to water and sewer services, and any other assistance related to water and sewer services in economically distressed areas of the county. It specifically makes eligible a county with a population of three million or more, or a county with a population of 350,000 or more that is adjacent to a county with a population of three million or more.
The bill allows these counties to adopt model political subdivision rules. The bill allows these counties to limit the applicability of the model political subdivision rules to the portion of the county for which the county has made an application for funds for facility engineering in economically distressed areas; assistance to economically distressed areas for water, supply and sewer service projects; and the colonia self-help program.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, if not the Act takes effect September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute allows the counties specified in the original to adopt model political subdivision rules. The substitute allows these counties to limit the applicability of the model political subdivision rules to the portion of the county for which the county has made an application for funds for facility engineering in economically distressed areas; assistance to economically distressed areas for water, supply and sewer service projects; and the colonia self-help program.