BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

S.B. 1868

By: Campbell

Special Purpose Districts

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note that Needmore Ranch is an approximately 5,000-acre property in Hays County, located wholly outside the corporate and extraterritorial boundaries of any municipality, which the landowner desires to develop as a master planned community. The parties note that the creation of a municipal utility district will help facilitate the uniform and efficient development of the property using a centralized water system and wastewater collection and treatment system, rather than having the property developed in reliance on individual water wells and on-site sewage systems. S.B. 1868 seeks to address this issue by providing for the creation of the Needmore Ranch Municipal Utility District No. 1.

 

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

 

S.B. 1868 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to create the Needmore Ranch Municipal Utility District No. 1, subject to voter approval at a confirmation election and municipal consent. The bill authorizes the district, subject to certain requirements, to issue obligations and impose property, operation and maintenance, and contract taxes. The bill, if it does not receive a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house, prohibits the district from exercising the power of eminent domain.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

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