Bill Text: TX HB4686 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to the powers and duties of the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 478; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB4686 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB4686-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 4686

AN ACT
relating to the powers and duties of the Harris County Municipal
Utility District No. 478; providing authority to issue bonds;
providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 8334.005(b), Special District Local Laws
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) The district is created to accomplish the purposes of:
(1) a municipal utility district as provided by
general law and Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and
(2) Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, that
relate to the construction, acquisition, [or] improvement,
operation, or maintenance of macadamized, graveled, or paved roads
[described by Section 54.234, Water Code], or improvements,
including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
SECTION 2. Section 8334.103(a), Special District Local Laws
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Under Section 52, Article III, Texas Constitution, the
district may design, acquire, construct, finance, issue bonds for,
improve, operate, maintain, and convey to this state, a county, or a
municipality for operation and maintenance macadamized, graveled,
or paved roads [described by Section 54.234, Water Code], or
improvements, including storm drainage, in aid of those roads.
SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 8334, Special District
Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Sections 8334.1035 and
8334.107 to read as follows:
Sec. 8334.1035. ROAD STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) A
road project must meet all applicable construction standards,
zoning and subdivision requirements, and regulations of each
municipality in whose corporate limits or extraterritorial
jurisdiction the road project is located.
(b) If a road project is not located in the corporate limits
or extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, the road
project must meet all applicable construction standards,
subdivision requirements, and regulations of each county in which
the road project is located.
(c) If the state will maintain and operate the road, the
Texas Transportation Commission must approve the plans and
specifications of the road project.
Sec. 8334.107. DIVISION OF DISTRICT. (a) The district may
be divided into two or more new districts only if the district:
(1) has never issued any bonds; and
(2) is not imposing ad valorem taxes.
(b) This chapter applies to any new district created by the
division of the district, and a new district has all the powers and
duties of the district.
(c) Any new district created by the division of the district
may not, at the time the new district is created, contain any land
outside the area described by Section 2 of the Act enacting this
chapter.
(d) The board, on its own motion or on receipt of a petition
signed by the owner or owners of a majority of the assessed value of
the real property in the district, may adopt an order dividing the
district.
(e) An order dividing the district must:
(1) name each new district;
(2) include the metes and bounds description of the
territory of each new district;
(3) appoint temporary directors for each new district;
and
(4) provide for the division of assets and liabilities
between or among the new districts.
(f) On or before the 30th day after the date of adoption of
an order dividing the district, the district shall file the order
with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and record the
order in the real property records of each county in which the
district is located.
(g) Any new district created by the division of the district
shall hold a confirmation and directors' election as required by
Section 49.102, Water Code.
(h) Municipal consent to the creation of the district and to
the inclusion of land in the district granted under Section
8334.004 acts as municipal consent to the creation of any new
district under this section and the inclusion of land in the new
district.
(i) Any new district created by the division of the district
must hold an election as required by this chapter to obtain voter
approval before the district may impose a maintenance tax or issue
bonds payable wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes.
(j) If the creation of the new district is confirmed, the
new district shall provide the election date and results to the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
SECTION 4. Sections 8334.003, 8334.103(b), and 8334.104,
Special District Local Laws Code, are repealed.
SECTION 5. The Harris County Municipal Utility District
No. 478 retains all the rights, powers, privileges, authority,
duties, and functions that it had before the effective date of this
Act.
SECTION 6. (a) The legislature validates and confirms all
governmental acts and proceedings of the Harris County Municipal
Utility District No. 478 that were taken before the effective date
of this Act.
(b) This section does not apply to any matter that on the
effective date of this Act:
(1) is involved in litigation if the litigation
ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final court
judgment; or
(2) has been held invalid by a final court judgment.
SECTION 7. (a) The legal notice of the intention to
introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
Government Code.
(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has
submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
representatives within the required time.
(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
and accomplished.
SECTION 8. 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, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 4686 was passed by the House on May 3,
2019, by the following vote: Yeas 123, Nays 17, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 4686 was passed by the Senate on May
21, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor