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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Rural Infrastructure Disaster |
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Recovery Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter D-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D-1. RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM |
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Sec. 418.081. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Account" means the rural infrastructure disaster |
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recovery account created under Section 418.086. |
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(2) "Critical infrastructure" includes: |
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(A) a road; |
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(B) a public school; |
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(C) a hospital or other health care facility; |
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(D) a water intake structure, water treatment |
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facility, wastewater treatment plant, or pump station; |
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(E) utility-scale water or wastewater storage, |
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treatment, or transmission facilities; and |
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(F) airport facilities used for the landing, |
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parking, refueling, shelter, or takeoff of aircraft, maintenance or |
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servicing of aircraft, aircraft equipment storage, or navigation of |
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aircraft. |
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(3) "Disaster area" means an area in this state |
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declared to be a disaster area by the governor. |
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(4) "Eligible political subdivision" means a |
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political subdivision that meets the qualifications prescribed by |
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Section 418.083. |
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(5) "Political subdivision," notwithstanding Section |
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418.004, means a county, municipality, special district, school |
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district, junior college district, or other political subdivision |
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of this state. |
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Sec. 418.082. RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE DISASTER RECOVERY |
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PROGRAM. (a) The division shall establish and administer a rural |
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infrastructure disaster recovery program in accordance with this |
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subchapter to benefit eligible political subdivisions. The program |
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must be designed to provide financial assistance in the form of |
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grants to rural communities located in a disaster area for the |
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purpose of rebuilding and repairing critical infrastructure |
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damaged by a disaster. |
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(b) The division may make grants in accordance with this |
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subchapter using money appropriated to the division for the |
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purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 418.083. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. A political |
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subdivision is eligible to apply to the division for a grant under |
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this subchapter if the political subdivision is: |
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(1) a county: |
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(A) that: |
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(i) has a population of less than 100,000; |
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(ii) has a gross domestic product of less |
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than $2 billion; |
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(iii) has a poverty rate greater than 15 |
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percent; and |
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(iv) is located wholly or partly in a |
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disaster area; and |
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(B) for which the total dollar amount of damages |
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resulting from the disaster, as shown in an assessment of damages |
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prepared after the disaster, exceeds the amount equal to 10 percent |
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of the state and local sales and use taxes collected in the county |
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during the state fiscal year preceding the year in which the |
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disaster occurs; or |
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(2) a political subdivision other than a county that |
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is wholly or partly located in a county described by Subdivision |
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(1). |
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Sec. 418.084. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The division may make a |
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grant to an eligible political subdivision using money in the |
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account to assist in the rebuilding or repair of critical |
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infrastructure located in the eligible political subdivision that |
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is damaged by a disaster that may reasonably be considered a public |
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calamity. |
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(b) The proceeds of a grant made by the division using money |
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in the account may not be used by the eligible political subdivision |
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receiving the grant for any purpose other than the purpose |
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described by Subsection (a). |
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Sec. 418.085. APPLICATION FOR GRANT. (a) The division |
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shall establish an application process for a grant under this |
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subchapter. |
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(b) At a minimum, an application must include: |
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(1) a description of the infrastructure repair or |
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rebuild project for which the applicant is requesting the grant; |
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(2) an estimate of the total cost of the project; |
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(3) documentation that the project does not qualify |
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for federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management |
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Agency; and |
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(4) any other information the division requests to |
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determine whether the applicant is an eligible political |
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subdivision. |
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Sec. 418.086. RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE DISASTER RECOVERY |
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ACCOUNT. (a) The rural infrastructure disaster recovery account |
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is established as an account in the general revenue fund with the |
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comptroller, to be administered by the division. |
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(b) The division may use the rural infrastructure disaster |
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recovery account only for: |
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(1) making a grant to an eligible political |
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subdivision; and |
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(2) paying the necessary and reasonable expenses of |
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administering the grant. |
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(c) The account consists of: |
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(1) money appropriated, credited, or transferred to |
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the account by the legislature; |
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(2) gifts or grants contributed to the account; and |
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(3) interest earned on deposits and investments of the |
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account. |
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Sec. 418.087. RULES. The division shall adopt rules |
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necessary to administer this subchapter, including rules |
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establishing procedures for the application for and award of |
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grants, distribution of grants, and administration of grants and |
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the grant program established under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |