BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2262

By: Perry

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the Central Colorado River Authority is no longer relevant as a river authority and does not serve a direct public purpose. S.B. 2262 seeks to address this issue by providing for the dissolution of the authority. 

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. 2262 requires the Central Colorado River Authority and Coleman County, not later than December 31, 2017, to enter into a memorandum of understanding that governs the transfer by the authority to the county of the authority's remaining financial assets, after the discharge of any debts of the authority, in the form of cash, investments, and proceeds from the sale of the authority's personal property and real property, and the transfer of the authority's remaining personal property and real property in the event the property does not sell before December 31, 2018. The bill requires the memorandum of understanding to include a timeline for the sale of the authority's personal property and real property; the acts necessary to complete the sale of the authority's lakes, reservoirs, dams, water rights, and other real property related to the lakes, reservoirs, or dams of the authority to third parties before December 31, 2018, in accordance with state law governing the sale of property by a political subdivision of the state; and the acts necessary to complete the transfer of the authority's lakes, reservoirs, dams, water rights, and other real property related to the lakes, reservoirs, or dams of the authority to the county in accordance with the rules of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Water Code, and other applicable law, in the event the property does not sell before December 31, 2018.

S.B. 2262 exempts a transfer, sale, conveyance, or owner disposition of personal or real property by the authority in accordance with the memorandum of understanding from Special District Local Laws Code provisions relating to the sale, lease, mortgage, or other disposition of authority property. The bill authorizes Coleman County to accept the donation of the authority's financial assets and the authority's personal property and real property in the event the property does not sell before December 31, 2018. The bill requires all actions described in the memorandum of understanding to be completed not later than December 31, 2018, and dissolves the authority after the completion of the activities in the memorandum of understanding.

S.B. 2262, effective January 1, 2019, amends the Government Code to make a conforming change.

S.B. 2262, effective January 1, 2019, repeals Chapter 8505, Special District Local Laws Code.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

Except as otherwise provided, September 1, 2017.