Bill Text: TX HB4659 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to a study of the financing of regional facilities that convert groundwater to surface water.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-24 - Removed from local & uncontested calendar [HB4659 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4659-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to a study of the financing of regional facilities that convert groundwater to surface water.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-24 - Removed from local & uncontested calendar [HB4659 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4659-Introduced.html
By: Schofield | H.B. No. 4659 |
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relating to an interim study of the financing of regional projects | ||
and facilities to convert from groundwater to surface water. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. WORKING GROUP. (a) A working group is formed to | ||
study, review, and report to the legislature on the methods for | ||
financing or refinancing the regional water projects and facilities | ||
to convert from groundwater to surface water. | ||
(b) The working group is composed of representatives of the | ||
Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Public Finance Authority, | ||
and the local governments in Harris and Fort Bend counties that have | ||
borrowed money for surface water conversion projects from the Texas | ||
Water Development Board. The participation of said local | ||
governments is not mandatory and the lack of participation by any | ||
local government shall not affect the ability of the working group | ||
to proceed. | ||
(c) The chair of the Texas Water Development Board, or her | ||
designee, shall serve as chair of the working group. | ||
(d) The working group shall convene at the call of the | ||
chair. | ||
(e) All members of the Texas House or Texas Senate may | ||
request to be kept informed of the working group's progress. | ||
SECTION 2. STUDY. The working group formed by this Act | ||
shall study: | ||
(1) the extensive useful life of regional facilities | ||
and improvements to convert from groundwater to surface water; | ||
(2) the comparatively short period of time of the | ||
financing of the cost of such facilities; | ||
(3) the economic impact to current water users in | ||
paying the costs of facilities that will provide service for future | ||
water users; | ||
(4) the terms of current and anticipated financings of | ||
the costs of facilities; | ||
(5) the goal of more even distribution of the costs so | ||
that they are born by the users throughout the useful life of the | ||
project; | ||
(6) the fairness and equity benefits to the water | ||
users of extension of financings for longer periods of time | ||
compared to the potential increase in financing costs; | ||
(7) methods for the financing and refinancing of | ||
projects so that the cost of the projects are more evenly | ||
distributed and born by the users throughout the useful life of the | ||
project; | ||
(8) policies and procedures of the State and the Texas | ||
Water Development Board that can better accomplish the goal of | ||
better distribution of the cost burden; | ||
(9) whether the Texas Water Development Board's | ||
financing terms and conditions of existing and future borrowings | ||
can be improved to better accomplish the goal of better | ||
distribution of the cost burden; | ||
(10) whether funding could be applied to refinance or | ||
restructure existing financings; | ||
(11) whether costs of the projects could be fundied by | ||
grants instead of loans or whether the State or the Texas Water | ||
Development Board could forgive loans or portions of loans to | ||
better accomplish the goal of better distribution of the cost | ||
burden; and | ||
(12) whether potential measures that could further the | ||
goal of more even distribution of the costs so that they are born by | ||
the users throughout the useful life of the project are precluded by | ||
state law, and what changes to state law would be necessary to | ||
enable their adoption. | ||
SECTION 3. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) If the | ||
working group determines that changes and improvements by the State | ||
or its agencies, including the Texas Water Development Board, are | ||
warranted and possible without further legislative authorization, | ||
the working group shall seek implementation of those changes and | ||
improvements. | ||
(b) Not later than September 1, 2024, the working group | ||
formed by this Act shall report the working group's findings and | ||
recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the | ||
house of representatives, and the governor. | ||
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2025. | ||
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2023. |