Title SD, Special District Local Laws Code

Sec. 8503.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Except as expressly limited by this chapter, the authority has all the powers, rights, privileges, and functions conferred by general law on any district or districts created under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. (b) The authorit…

Sec. 8503.005. LIMITATIONS OF AUTHORITY. (a) The authority may not use for irrigation purposes any water under any permit or permits acquired from any other company or person unless the use is expressly authorized and granted to the authority by the commission or its predecessor …

Sec. 8503.006. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (a) The powers, rights, privileges, and functions of the authority shall be exercised by the board. The board shall consist of 15 directors and shall include at least one director from each of the counties named in Section 8503.003 except Travis…

Sec. 8503.0065. DIRECTOR TRAINING. (a) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a director may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a director in attendance at a board meeting until the person completes a training program that complies with this section. (b) The…

Sec. 8503.007. OFFICERS; GENERAL MANAGER; EMPLOYEES. (a) The governor shall designate a director as the presiding officer of the board to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the governor. The board shall elect one of their number as an assistant presiding officer. (b) The b…

Sec. 8503.008. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS; SURETY BONDS. (a) The money of the authority may be disbursed only by checks, drafts, orders, or other instruments signed by the persons authorized by the bylaws or a resolution concurred in by no fewer than a majority of all the directors. (…

Sec. 8503.009. OFFICE; RECORDS. (a) The domicile of the authority is in the city of Austin, Travis County, where the authority shall maintain its principal office in the charge of the general manager. (b) The authority shall keep complete and accurate accounts conforming to appro…

Sec. 8503.010. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. The provisions of Chapter 171, Local Government Code, apply to conflicts of interest in the award of authority contracts. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 996, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Renumbered from Water Code, Section 222.010 by Acts 2…

Sec. 8503.0105. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT POLICY. The board shall develop and implement a policy that provides a structure for public engagement in regard to water supply projects. The policy must include a clear and detailed description of how the authority will seek to actively engage …

Sec. 8503.0106. COMPLAINTS. (a) The authority shall maintain a system to promptly and efficiently act on complaints filed with the authority. The authority shall maintain information about parties to the complaint, the subject matter of the complaint, a summary of the results of …

Sec. 8503.0107. PUBLIC TESTIMONY. (a) In this section, "committee-of-the-whole" means a committee of the board in which every director is a member of the committee, regardless of whether all members are present at a particular meeting of the committee-of-the-whole. (b) The board …

Sec. 8503.0108. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES. (a) The board shall develop a policy to encourage the use of appropriate alternative dispute resolution procedures under Chapter 2009, Government Code, to assist in the resolution of internal and external disputes under t…

Sec. 8503.011. RATES AND CHARGES. (a) The board shall establish and collect rates and other charges for the sale or use of water, water connections, power, electric energy, or other services sold, furnished, or supplied by the authority. The fees and charges must be reasonable an…

Sec. 8503.012. PAYMENT OF DEBTS. Any indebtedness, liability, or obligation of the authority for the payment of money, however entered into or incurred and whether arising from contract, implied contract, or otherwise, is payable solely: (1) out of revenues received by the author…

Sec. 8503.013. ISSUANCE OF BONDS. (a) The authority may issue bonds from time to time and for any purpose authorized by this chapter or other general law. If bonds of the authority are issued, except as otherwise provided under general law, the bonds: (1) when sold, shall be sold…

Sec. 8503.014. DEFAULT PROCEDURES. (a) A resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds and any indenture or agreement entered into under the resolution may include provisions regarding a default on: (1) the payment of the interest on the bonds as the interest becomes due and payab…

Sec. 8503.015. AUDITS. (a) The authority is subject to the audit provisions of Subchapter G, Chapter 49, Water Code. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 996, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Renumbered from Water Code, Section 222.015 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167),…

Sec. 8503.016. AUTHORITY AS CONSERVATION AND RECLAMATION DISTRICT. (a) The authority shall manage and use its facilities, the water impounded by its dams on the Colorado River or its tributaries, and any available net operating revenues to accomplish, to the extent possible, the …

Sec. 8503.017. BONDS AS NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS. Bonds issued by the authority under this chapter or other general law are negotiable instruments under the laws of this state. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 996, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Renumbered from Water Code, Section 2…

Sec. 8503.018. ADDITIONAL POWERS RELATING TO CONTRACTS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS. The authority may, but without intending by this provision to limit any powers of the authority as granted to it by this chapter or other general law, enter into and carry out contracts or establish o…

Sec. 8503.019. PURCHASE OF BONDS. The authority may, out of any funds available for the purpose, purchase bonds issued by it at a price not exceeding the redemption price applicable at the time of the purchase, or if the bonds are not redeemable, at a price not exceeding the prin…

Sec. 8503.020. DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY. (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing the authority, and the authority is not authorized, to mortgage or otherwise encumber any of its property of any kind, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest in such property,…

Sec. 8503.021. PROPERTY AGREEMENTS WITH CITY OF AUSTIN. Nothing in this chapter prohibits the authority from owning property in conjunction with, acquiring property from, or selling property to the City of Austin, on terms and conditions to which the authority and the city agree.…

Sec. 8503.022. PROPERTY USEFUL IN THE PRODUCTION OR UTILIZATION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY. This chapter does not prohibit or restrict the sale, lease, or other disposition, to an electric cooperative, municipality, nonprofit corporation created by the authority under Chapter 152, Water …

Sec. 8503.023. PUBLIC ACCESS. (a) The authority may not prevent the public use of its lands for recreational purposes and fishing except at such points where, in the opinion of the board, the use would interfere with the proper conduct of the business of the authority or would in…

Sec. 8503.024. BONDS EXEMPT FROM TAXATION. All bonds and interest on the bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter are exempt from taxation, except inheritance taxes, by this state or by any municipal corporation, county, or other political subdivision or taxing district …

Sec. 8503.025. SOURCE OF AUTHORITY. (a) This chapter, without reference to other statutory provisions, constitutes full authority for the authorization and issuance of bonds under this chapter, and no other act or law regarding the authorization or issuance of obligations or the …

Sec. 8503.026. BONDS AS INVESTMENTS AND SECURITY FOR DEPOSITS. (a) All authority bonds are legal and authorized investments for individuals, partnerships, profit and nonprofit corporations, banks, savings banks, trust companies, building and loan associations, savings and loan as…

Sec. 8503.027. CONSTRUCTION. (a) This chapter and all of its terms and provisions shall be liberally construed to carry out the purposes set forth in this chapter. (b) Nothing in this chapter affects the meaning of Section 8503.011, formerly Section 222.011, Water Code, and Secti…

Sec. 8503.028. AUTHORITY POWERS IN LAMPASAS COUNTY. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the authority may exercise all powers within Lampasas County that it may otherwise exercise within the 10 counties specified in Section 8503.003, except that the authority may…

Sec. 8503.029. ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC POWERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the authority: (1) may purchase, construct, acquire, own, operate, repair, improve, or extend any facility necessary or convenient to provide water services in Williamson County in…

Sec. 8503.030. PROVISION OF WATER TO MUNICIPALITY OUTSIDE COLORADO RIVER BASIN. (a) This section applies notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or other law. (b) In this section and Section 8503.031: (1) "Municipality" includes a municipally owned utility. (2) "Water…

Sec. 8503.031. AUTHORITY OF MUNICIPALITY TO CONTRACT FOR WATER. Section 8503.030 constitutes full authority for a municipality or municipally owned utility to enter into a contract with the authority under that section. The payments made under a contract authorized by that sectio…

Sec. 8503.032. BROADBAND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONNECTIVITY. (a) In this section, "broadband service" means advanced telecommunications capability and Internet access. (b) The authority may provide fiber capacity or facilities for the purpose of facilitating broadband servic…