Bill > SB1994

This bill amends the Texas Water Code to require that petitions for creating certain special districts (water control and improvement districts, freshwater supply districts, and municipal utility districts) located outside municipal boundaries must now include detailed plans for law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency services, as well as ensure that roads can accommodate fire truck turnarounds. Specifically, when a commissioners court or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reviews a petition to create such a district, they must now consider and verify that these critical emergency services will be adequately provided and that road infrastructure will support emergency vehicle access. The new requirements apply to petitions filed on or after the bill's effective date, which will be either immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in the Texas Legislature or September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met. The bill aims to ensure that new special districts have robust emergency service capabilities and infrastructure before they are approved, potentially improving public safety in developing areas outside of existing municipal boundaries.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1994