Bill Text: TX HB2995 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an exemption for urban farms from payment for wastewater service.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-17 - Referred to State Affairs [HB2995 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB2995-Introduced.html
82R8782 JXC-D | ||
By: Miles | H.B. No. 2995 |
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relating to an exemption for urban farms from payment for | ||
wastewater service. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended | ||
by adding Section 13.148 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 13.148. URBAN FARM WASTEWATER FEE EXEMPTION. (a) In | ||
this section: | ||
(1) "Community garden" means land gardened by a | ||
cooperative group of people residing in a neighborhood or community | ||
for the purpose of providing fresh produce for the benefit of the | ||
residents of the neighborhood or community. | ||
(2) "Urban farm" means land used to cultivate, | ||
process, and distribute food in or near an urban area. The term | ||
includes a food plot in a community garden, on an inner-city lot, or | ||
on the property of a school, a fish farm, a municipal composting | ||
facility, an apiary, a garden that provides food for local | ||
restaurants, or an orchard in the yard of a residence. | ||
(b) Notwithstanding another provision of this chapter, a | ||
retail public utility may not receive compensation for wastewater | ||
service provided to an owner or operator of an urban farm and used | ||
by the owner or operator for purposes of the farm. | ||
(c) The commission may develop standards to determine | ||
whether a farm or garden qualifies as an urban farm or community | ||
garden under this section. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |