HBA-CMT, CCH, JEK C.S.H.B. 829 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 829
By: Hill
Urban Affairs
4/10/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, state programs associated with colonias apply only to
the border region of Texas. However, areas that could be defined as
colonias exist throughout Texas, including areas in Harris and Dallas
counties.  C.S.H.B. 829 defines "nonborder colonia" to encompass areas in
Texas that are not near the Texas border, and adds nonborder colonias to
certain provisions relating to financial aid for areas lacking water and
wastewater services. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 829 amends the Water and Government codes to define "nonborder
colonia."  The bill provides that the Uniform Grant and Contract Management
Act does not apply to a contract relating to an economically distressed
area or nonborder colonia.  The bill authorizes the water loan assistance
fund to also be used by the Texas Water Development Board (board) to
provide loans for projects that include supplying water and wastewater
services in nonborder colonias as provided by legislative appropriations,
the provisions of the Texas water assistance program, and board rules.   

The bill provides that in passing on an application for financial
assistance to a nonborder colonia from the water loan assistance fund, the
board is required to consider the regulatory efforts by the county in which
the colonia is located to control the construction of subdivisions lacking
basic utilities.   

The bill authorizes the agency acting as the colonia initiatives
coordinator to work with the other agencies and local officials involved in
colonia projects in the state to coordinate state outreach efforts to
nonborder colonias and to political subdivisions capable of providing water
and wastewater services to nonborder colonias.     

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 829 modifies the original by providing a definition of "nonborder
colonia" to the Water and Government codes whereas the original modified
the definition of "colonia" in the Government Code.  The substitute adds
the authorization for the water loan assistance fund is to be used by the
Texas Water Development Board (board) to provide loans for projects that
include supplying water and wastewater services in nonborder colonias.  The
substitute adds provisions relating to consideration of an application for
financial assistance to a nonborder colonia from the water loan assistance
fund.  The substitute authorizes the colonia initiatives coordinator to
work with the other agencies and local officials involved in  colonia
projects in the state to coordinate state outreach efforts to nonborder
colonias and to political subdivisions capable of providing water and
wastewater services to nonborder colonias.  The substitute modifies the
effective date of the bill.