BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4448

By: Israel

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that geothermal heating and cooling systems significantly lower the cost of home ownership and that residential communities within public improvement districts are being served and are well suited for large-scale geothermal infrastructure to facilitate these systems. However, this infrastructure is not currently a permissible expenditure of bond proceeds for public improvement projects within these districts. H.B. 4448 seeks to authorize a public improvement project to include the acquisition, construction, or improvement of geothermal water conveyance facilities or improvements and the acquisition of a right-of-way or easement related to an authorized improvement.

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

H.B. 4448 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a public improvement project undertaken by a public improvement district to include acquisition, construction, or improvement of geothermal water conveyance facilities or improvements and acquisition of a right-of-way or easement in connection with an authorized improvement. The bill authorizes the payment of expenses for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of certain water facilities or improvements to also include expenses related to the operation and maintenance of a geothermal water conveyance facility or improvement. The bill authorizes the costs of improvements that are dedicated, conveyed, leased, or otherwise provided to or for the benefit of an entity subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to be paid or reimbursed by any combination of the authorized methods for payment of improvement costs of public improvement districts.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.