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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a required period for a municipality or water district |
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to begin construction on certain projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Subtitle C, Title 13, Local |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBTITLE C. WATER AND UTILITIES PROVISIONS APPLYING TO MORE THAN |
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ONE TYPE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT |
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SECTION 2. Subtitle C, Title 13, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 574 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 574. REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS |
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Sec. 574.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Project" means a water supply or treatment |
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system, a water distribution system, a sanitary sewage collection |
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or treatment system, works or improvements necessary for drainage |
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of land, roads and improvements in aid of roads, or any other work, |
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construction, or improvement supported by an increase in a tax or |
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utility rate. |
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(2) "Water district" means a district created under |
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Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. |
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Sec. 574.002. ONE-YEAR REQUIREMENT TO BEGIN PROJECT. A |
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municipality or water district shall begin construction of a |
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project for which the municipality or district raises a tax or |
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utility rate not later than the first anniversary of the date the |
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municipality or district initially raised that rate. |
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Sec. 574.003. LOWER RATE AND REFUND REQUIRED. If a |
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municipality or water district violates Section 574.002, the |
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municipality or district shall: |
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(1) lower the tax or utility rate to the rate in effect |
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immediately before the rate was raised for the project that is the |
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subject of the violation; and |
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(2) refund to each taxpayer or ratepayer, as |
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applicable, an amount equal to the amount paid by the taxpayer or |
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ratepayer for the project that is the subject of the violation. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 574, Local Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a project for which a tax or utility rate |
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is raised on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |