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