By: Oliveira (Senate Sponsor - Lucio)	H.B. No. 3545
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2015;
	April 28, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on
	Intergovernmental Relations; May 12, 2015, reported adversely,
	with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
	Nays 0; May 12, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3545	By:  Lucio

	COMMITTEE VOTE
	YeaNayAbsentPNV
	LucioX
	BettencourtX
	CampbellX
	GarciaX
	MenéndezX
	NicholsX
	TaylorofGalvestonX
	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment of an infrastructure improvement
	council by the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority; providing
	authority to impose a voluntary assessment.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 1.01, Chapter 385, Acts of the 78th
	Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, is amended by adding
	Subdivision (4-b) to read as follows:
	(4-b) "Council" means the council established under
	Section 1B.01 of this Act.
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 385, Acts of the 78th Legislature,
	Regular Session, 2003, is amended by adding Article IB to read as
	follows:
	ARTICLE IB. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL
	Sec. 1B.01.  INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL. (a)  The
	board shall establish an infrastructure improvement council in
	connection with the implementation of infrastructure improvement
	projects within the authority's territory.
	(b)  The board shall set, according to a formula determined
	by the board, an annual voluntary assessment. Revenue from the
	assessment imposed under this subsection shall be deposited to the
	credit of an infrastructure improvement fund to be administered by
	the council. After the board sets the formula used to determine the
	assessment, the assessment may be modified only by the council.
	(c)  A member of the conference that pays the voluntary
	assessment under Subsection (b) shall appoint a representative to
	serve as a member of the council.
	(d)  The council may apply for financial assistance under
	Subchapters G and H, Chapter 15, Water Code, and may implement
	infrastructure improvement projects approved by the council under
	this article.
	(e)  The council shall study the viability of each
	infrastructure improvement project requested by council members to
	determine whether an infrastructure improvement project is
	eligible to receive financial assistance from the council.
	(f)  Only members of the council are eligible to receive
	financial assistance from the council for infrastructure
	improvement projects under this article.
	(g)  The council shall establish procedures to govern the
	council.
	(h)  The council may:
	(1)  hire employees to implement this section; and
	(2)  engage in infrastructure improvement projects
	without board approval.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	* * * * *