BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3483

By: Gámez

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that there is a need in Texas for water infrastructure projects and that funding is required to meet this need. The bill author has also informed the committee that, upon conversion from a water supply corporation, special utility districts become limited in their ability to borrow money to finance and complete water and utility projects. C.S.H.B. 3483 seeks to address this issue by exempting a special utility district from certain bond approval and supervision provisions in order to make it possible for such a district to finance infrastructure projects.

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

C.S.H.B. 3483 amends the Water Code to exempt a special utility district from provisions relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) over the issuance of bonds of certain water districts and provisions relating to TCEQ supervision of projects and improvements of certain water districts.

C.S.H.B. 3483 amends the Government Code to include as an issuer for purposes of statutory provisions relating to obligations for certain public improvements a conservation and reclamation district organized or operating as a special utility district under specified provisions of the Texas Constitution and under Water Code provisions governing such districts.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3483 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a provision that was not in the introduced including as an issuer for purposes of Government Code provisions relating to obligations for certain public improvements a conservation and reclamation district organized or operating as a special utility district under specified provisions of the Texas Constitution and under Water Code provisions governing such districts.