BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3902

By: Zerwas

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134, originally created more than 10 years ago, has since been divided into multiple districts pursuant to authority provided by the district's enabling legislation. The district's power to undertake certain road projects is currently limited to the provision of roads inside the district. Interested parties assert that as development has proceeded, it has become necessary to construct or improve roads outside, but in the vicinity of, the district to serve the development. The parties have also identified several statutory provisions regarding the district that are not consistent with general laws applicable to municipal utility districts. H.B. 3902 seeks to address these issues by amending statutory provisions relating to Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134.

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

H.B. 3902 amends Chapter 1342, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to remove language limiting the authority of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134 to undertake certain road projects to road projects inside the district and to include road projects relating to entrance and exit ramps to and from State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway, among the authorized projects. The bill applies statutory provisions governing the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134 to any new district created by the division of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134 and grants a new district all the powers and duties of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134. The bill specifies that members of a successor to the board of directors of a district resulting from a division of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134 are required to be elected as provided by Water Code provisions relating to the terms of office of directors of certain water districts.

H.B. 3902 repeals provisions relating to the election of permanent directors of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134, the authorization of the district board to adopt bylaws to govern the district's affairs, the location of the district's principal office, and the rendition and assessment of property for taxation, the equalization of values, and the collection of district taxes.

H.B. 3902 repeals the following provisions of Chapter 1342, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001:

· Section 2.01(c)

· Section 2.04

· Section 2.05(b)

· Section 2.10

· Section 5.05

· Section 9.02

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.