BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 814

By: Hinojosa

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that changes are needed to the composition of the board of directors of the Agua Special Utility District as well as safeguards to protect district taxpayers against conflicts of interest. S.B. 814 seeks to make such changes and provide such a safeguard.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 814 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to replace one of the directors of the Agua Special Utility District elected at-large to represent the part of the district that is not included in specified municipalities with a director elected by the voters of the part of the City of La Joya within the district to represent that part of the city. The bill includes temporary provisions set to expire September 1, 2020, providing for the transition for such replacement. 

S.B. 814 prohibits the district's board of directors from employing as an employee, as a consultant, or on a contract basis an elected official of the largest public employer in the service area of the district or a person related to such an elected official within the third degree by consanguinity or affinity. The bill does not subject a person employed by the district on the bill's effective date who is such an elected official to the prohibition until the date the person's term as an elected official expires, and authorizes the board to continue to employ the person until that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.