HBA-TYH H.B. 1018 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1018
By: Denny
Land & Resource Management
2/24/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

During the interim between the 75th and 76th legislature, the House
Committee on Natural Resources created the Subcommittee on Dam Safety.  The
subcommittee found that Texas has a large number of communities that lie in
floodplains due to the close proximity of high hazard or significant hazard
dams.  Many of these communities do not participate in the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP), and therefore the residents of those committees
cannot obtain flood insurance.  The subcommittee in its report  recommended
that the legislature require cities and counties to participate in the
NFIP.  H.B. 1018 requires the governing body of each city and county to
adopt the necessary measures to be eligible to participate in the NFIP. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter I, Chapter 16, Water Code, by adding Section
16.3145, as follows: 

Sec. 16.3145. NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM ORDERS OR ORDINANCES.
Requires the governing body of each city and county to adopt ordinances or
orders necessary for the city or county to be eligible to participate in
the National Flood Insurance Program.  

SECTION 2.Requires the governing body to adopt the ordinances or orders no
later than January 1, 2001. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.