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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of economic development corporations |
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created by certain rural municipalities to undertake |
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infrastructure planning projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 501.108 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.108. RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING PROJECTS. (a) |
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This section applies only to a corporation authorized to be created |
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by a municipality that during the 12-month period preceding the |
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date of the undertaking of a project authorized by this section, has |
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an average unemployment rate that is greater than the state average |
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unemployment rate and: |
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(1) has a population of less than 100,000; |
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(2) is located wholly in a county designated as rural |
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by the Texas Department of Agriculture; or |
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(3) is part of a micropolitan statistical area with a |
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population of less than 150,000 in which the municipalities are |
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adjoined with regional water, sewer, drainage, and irrigation |
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systems. |
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(b) For a corporation to which this section applies, in |
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this subtitle, "project" includes expenditures found by the board |
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of directors to be required or suitable for the development and |
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engineering of plans for infrastructure for the purpose of being |
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ready to begin construction immediately after receiving a state or |
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federal grant that may be spent for infrastructure, notwithstanding |
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any limitation of expenditures under Section 501.103. The project |
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may include interlocal agreements in cooperation with any regional |
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or overlapping water, sewer, or drainage district or regional |
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system. |
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(c) An expenditure made under this section must prioritize: |
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(1) the economic goals of the community; and |
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(2) the mitigation of flood, storm, or other natural |
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disaster incidents that have increased risks of damage to business, |
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industrial, and affordable housing sites or zones, including by |
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prioritizing projects for: |
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(A) water, sewer, drainage, railroad, or road |
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underground borings or crossing improvements to distressed |
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business, industry, or affordable housing sites or zones where |
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local revenues are unavailable; and |
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(B) sewer and wastewater disposal facilities |
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required or suitable for infrastructure necessary to promote or |
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develop new, expanded business and industrial area enterprises or |
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affordable housing sites or projects. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |