| TO: | Honorable Norma Chavez, Chair, House Committee on Border and International Affairs |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2597 by Guillen (Relating to evaluation of applicants for financial assistance to colonias and other economically distressed areas.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Government Code related to the applicants of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) administered by the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) for economically distressed areas known as a colonias.
The bill would require an applicant to fill out a supplemental questionnaire form. An application may not be considered for an award of financial assistance by ORCA without the completed questionnaire. ORCA would award financial assistance based on the applicant’s score on the questionnaire. The bill specifies what the supplemental questionnaire is required to include.
The bill requires ORCA, before the beginning of each regular session of the legislature, to submit to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each other member of the legislature a report of all financial assistance provided under provisions of the bill in the two years preceding the date of compilation of the report. The bill requires the report to include each applicant’s score on the supplemental questionnaire.
Based on the analysis of ORCA, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.
| Source Agencies: | 332 Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 357 Office of Rural Community Affairs, 580 Water Development Board
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, MW, BC
|