By: Hinojosa of Hidalgo S.B. No. 612

(In the Senate - Filed December 13, 2024; February 3, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs; May 5, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 5, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 612 By: Hancock

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of certain conservation and reclamation districts to impose fees for the construction of certain pipelines and associated infrastructure.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 49.2127, Water Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(a) In this section:

(1) "Developer" means a person who owns land in a district who:

(A) has divided or proposes to divide the land into two or more parts; or

(B) requests more than two water or sewer service connections on a single contiguous tract of land.

(2) "Retail[, "retail] public utility" has the meaning assigned by Section 13.002.

(e) A district may not impose on a developer that proposes to construct a water or sewer pipeline or associated infrastructure in the district's service area a fee that is greater than the actual, reasonable, and documented costs incurred by the district for review, legal services, engineering services, inspection, construction, repair, and infrastructure relocation or conversion associated with the construction, and any other related costs incurred by the district in association with the construction or a subdivision.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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