88R14102 JAM-D
 
  By: LaMantia S.B. No. 2183
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a task force to analyze the
  provision of financial assistance from the flood infrastructure
  fund for the improvement of artificial drainage systems in certain
  coastal and border regions.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this section:
               (1)  "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board.
               (2)  "Fund" means the flood infrastructure fund
  established under Section 15.533, Water Code.
               (3)  "Task force" means the artificial drainage systems
  task force.
         SECTION 2.  TASK FORCE. (a) The artificial drainage systems
  task force is established to identify inadequacies in and suggest
  improvements for the provision of financial assistance for
  artificial drainage systems to communities and drainage districts
  in coastal and border regions of this state that lack topographic
  relief, slope, and naturally defined floodways.
         (b)  The task force is composed of:
               (1)  an equal number of members of the house of
  representatives and members of the senate with the members of the
  house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house and
  the members of the senate appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (2)  individuals to represent the interests of drainage
  districts, municipalities, and counties located in coastal and
  border regions, appointed in equal numbers by the speaker of the
  house of representatives and the lieutenant governor; and
               (3)  representatives of the board, appointed by the
  executive administrator of the board.
         (c)  The task force shall analyze the requirements
  associated with the provision of financial assistance from the fund
  and identify possible changes to those requirements that would
  facilitate the improvement of artificial drainage systems in
  coastal and border regions, including:
               (1)  alterations to the scoring criteria used to
  determine the eligibility for and the amount of loans and grants
  provided from the fund, such as:
                     (A)  the inclusion of scoring criteria that
  prioritize improvements to an artificial drainage system; or
                     (B)  scoring criteria to be used for communities
  with artificial drainage systems that are based on a social
  vulnerability index instead of income levels; and
               (2)  the feasibility of:
                     (A)  providing no-interest loans for improvements
  to an artificial drainage system;
                     (B)  introducing a loan forgiveness program for
  political subdivisions with outstanding loans from the fund;
                     (C)  increasing grant funding from the fund for
  communities with artificial drainage systems; or
                     (D)  revising the income levels used to determine
  the eligibility for or the amount of a grant or loan from the fund
  for communities with artificial drainage systems.
         (d)  The task force shall hold public hearings in coastal and
  border regions of this state, including hearings in El Paso, the Rio
  Grande Valley, and Corpus Christi.
         SECTION 3.  REPORT. Not later than December 21, 2024, the
  task force shall prepare and submit to the board, the speaker of the
  house of representatives, the lieutenant governor, and the governor
  a report that includes recommendations identified by the task
  force.
         SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and this
  Act expires January 1, 2025.
         SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
  1, 2023.