85R13166 JXC-D
 
  By: Larson H.B. No. 3987
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of the Texas Water Development Board to
  use the state participation account of the water development fund
  to provide financial assistance for the development of certain
  facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended
  by adding Section 16.145 to read as follows:
         Sec. 16.145.  SEAWATER DESALINATION OR AQUIFER STORAGE AND
  RECOVERY FACILITY. (a)  In addition to using the account for the
  purposes described by Section 16.131, the board may use the state
  participation account of the development fund to provide financial
  assistance for the development of a seawater desalination or
  aquifer storage and recovery facility, including associated intake
  or distribution facilities, to meet existing or projected future
  water needs. 
         (b)  Section 16.135 does not apply to the use of the state
  participation account to acquire a facility or an interest in a
  facility described by Subsection (a). 
         (c)  Before the board may acquire a facility or an interest
  in a facility described by Subsection (a), the board must find
  affirmatively that:
               (1)  it is reasonable to expect that the state will
  recover its investment in the facility; and
               (2)  the public interest will be served by the
  acquisition of the facility. 
         (d)  The board may not provide financial assistance under
  this section for a facility unless the facility is included in the
  state water plan.
         (e)  The board shall establish a point system for
  prioritizing facilities for which financial assistance is sought
  from the board under this section. The system must include a
  standard for the board to apply in determining whether a facility
  qualifies for financial assistance at the time the application for
  financial assistance is filed with the board.
         (f)  The board may not issue more than $200 million in water
  financial assistance bonds designated by the board as issued to
  provide financial assistance for facilities under this section.
         (g)  If the board does not provide financial assistance for a
  facility under this section before September 1, 2022, the board may
  not provide financial assistance for any facility under this
  section after that date.
         SECTION 2.  Section 16.182, Water Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 16.182.  PERMIT REQUIRED. (a) Before the board grants
  the application to buy, receive, or lease the facilities, the
  applicant shall first secure a permit for water use from the
  commission. If the facilities are to be leased, the permit may be
  for a term of years.
         (b)  The board may assist the applicant with securing a
  permit for a facility described by Section 16.145.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 17.957(b) and (c), Water Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The state participation account is composed of:
               (1)  money and assets attributable to water financial
  assistance bonds designated by the board as issued for projects
  described in Sections [Section] 16.131 and 16.145;
               (2)  money from the sale, transfer, or lease of a
  project described in Subdivision (1) that was acquired,
  constructed, reconstructed, developed, or enlarged with money from
  the state participation account;
               (3)  payments received under a bond enhancement
  agreement with respect to water financial assistance bonds
  designated by the board as issued for projects described in
  Sections [Section] 16.131 and 16.145;
               (4)  investment income earned on money on deposit in
  the state participation account;
               (5)  money disbursed to the fund from the state water
  implementation fund for Texas as authorized by Section 15.434; and
               (6)  any other funds, regardless of their source, that
  the board directs be deposited to the credit of the state
  participation account.
         (c)  Money on deposit in the state participation account may
  be used by the board for projects described in Sections [Section]
  16.131 and 16.145 in the manner that the board determines necessary
  for the administration of the fund.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.