Bill > SB1521

This bill: 1. Amends the Water Code to change the heading of Section 15.405 from "Flood Control Planning Contracts" to "Flood Control Planning Contracts". 2. Expands the definition of "flood control planning" to include activities related to planning for flood protection, obtaining regulatory approvals, administrative or legal proceedings, and preparing engineering plans for flood mitigation and drainage. 3. Allows the Texas Water Development Board (the Board) to enter into contracts with political subdivisions to pay for the cost of flood control planning. 4. Establishes the "Flood Infrastructure Fund" to provide financial assistance to eligible political subdivisions for flood projects, including planning, design, and construction of structural and non-structural flood mitigation and drainage infrastructure. 5. Allows the Board to use the fund to make loans, grants, and low-interest or zero-interest loans for flood projects in certain circumstances, such as to serve areas outside of metropolitan statistical areas or economically distressed areas. 6. Appropriates $3.26 billion from the Economic Stabilization Fund to the Flood Infrastructure Fund, contingent on a two-thirds vote of the legislature. 7. Provides that the Act will only take effect if the voters approve a constitutional amendment authorizing the creation of the Flood Infrastructure Fund.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=SB1521