H.B. No. 429

	AN ACT
	relating to the definition of rural area for purposes of certain
	housing assistance administered by the Texas Department of Housing
	and Community Affairs.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 2306.004(28-a), Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(28-a)  "Rural area" means an area that is located:
	(A)  outside the boundaries of a primary
	metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area;
	or
	(B)  within the boundaries of a primary
	metropolitan statistical area or a metropolitan statistical area,
	if the statistical area has a population of 25,000 or less and does
	not share a boundary with an urban area[; or
	[(C)   in an area that is eligible for funding by
	the Texas Rural Development Office of the United States Department
	of Agriculture, other than an area that is located in a municipality
	with a population of more than 50,000].
	SECTION 2.  Section 2306.111, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (d-4) to read as follows:
	(d-4)  A proposed or existing development that, before
	September 1, 2013, has been awarded or has received federal
	financial assistance provided under Section 514, 515, or 516 of the
	Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. Section 1484, 1485, or 1486) may
	apply for low income housing tax credits allocated under Subsection
	(d-2) or (d-3) for the uniform state service region in which the
	development is located regardless of whether the development is
	located in a rural area.
	SECTION 3.  Section 2306.6702(12), Government Code, is
	repealed.
	SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act in amending
	Section 2306.004(28-a), Government Code, applies only to an
	application for financial assistance that is submitted by a housing
	development to the Texas Department of Housing and Community
	Affairs on or after September 1, 2013.  An application for financial
	assistance that is submitted by a housing development to the
	department before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in
	effect when the application was submitted, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 429 was passed by the House on April
	25, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 131, Nays 5, 2 present, not
	voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
	H.B. No. 429 on May 20, 2013, and requested the appointment of a
	conference committee to consider the differences between the two
	houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
	on H.B. No. 429 on May 24, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 142,
	Nays 3, 2 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 429 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 15, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays
	4; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
	committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
	that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
	429 on May 26, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 26, Nays 4.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor