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               AN ACT
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            relating to the use of the water infrastructure fund. | 
         
         
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                   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 1.  Section 15.974(a), Water Code, is amended to  | 
         
         
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            read as follows: | 
         
         
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                   (a)  The board may use the fund: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  to make loans to political subdivisions at or  | 
         
         
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            below market interest rates for projects; | 
         
         
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                         (2)  to make grants, low-interest loans, or zero  | 
         
         
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            interest loans to political subdivisions for projects to serve  | 
         
         
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            areas outside metropolitan statistical areas in order to ensure  | 
         
         
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            that the projects are implemented, or for projects to serve  | 
         
         
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            economically distressed areas; | 
         
         
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                         (3)  to make loans at or below market interest rates for  | 
         
         
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            planning and design costs, permitting costs, and other costs  | 
         
         
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            associated with state or federal regulatory activities with respect  | 
         
         
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            to a project; | 
         
         
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                         (4)  as a source of revenue or security for the payment  | 
         
         
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            of principal and interest on bonds issued by the board if the  | 
         
         
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            proceeds of the sale of the bonds will be deposited in the fund;  | 
         
         
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            [and] | 
         
         
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                         (5)  to make transfers from the fund to the financial  | 
         
         
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            assistance account of the Texas Water Development Fund II created  | 
         
         
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            under Section 17.959 for the purposes described in Section 49-d-8,  | 
         
         
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            Article III, Texas Constitution, other than for the purposes  | 
         
         
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            described in Sections 17.957 and 17.958; and | 
         
         
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                         (6)  to pay the necessary and reasonable expenses of  | 
         
         
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            the board in administering the fund. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 2.  Section 17.9616(b), Water Code, is amended to  | 
         
         
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            read as follows: | 
         
         
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                   (b)  The board shall use the water infrastructure fund as a  | 
         
         
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            source of revenue to be deposited in accordance with this  | 
         
         
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            subchapter for the payment of principal and interest on water  | 
         
         
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            financial assistance bonds issued by the board, the proceeds of  | 
         
         
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            which are to be deposited into the water infrastructure fund and to  | 
         
         
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            be used to make payments under a bond enhancement agreement with  | 
         
         
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            respect to principal or interest on the water financial assistance  | 
         
         
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            bonds or for any other purpose authorized by Section 17.959(c). | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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               President of the Senate | 
            Speaker of the House      | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 1904 was passed by the House on April  | 
         
         
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            16, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 4, 2 present, not  | 
         
         
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            voting. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Chief Clerk of the House    | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 1904 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
         
         
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            19, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Secretary of the Senate     | 
         
         
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            APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
         
         
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                               Date           | 
         
         
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                      _____________________ | 
         
         
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                             Governor        |