Special District Local Laws Code § 8502.012

Sec. 8502.012. ADDITIONAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The authority is a district and a river authority as defined by Chapter 30, Water Code. All the provisions of Chapter 30, Water Code, are applicable to the authority. (b) As used in this section: (1) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, public utility, or other private entity or any public agency. (2) "Public agency" means an authority, district, municipality or other political subdivision, joint board, or other public agency created and operating under the laws of this state and any entity created to operate or act on behalf of a public agency. (c) The authority and all persons may enter into contracts with each other, in any manner and on terms to which the parties agree, with respect to any power, function, facility, or service that the authority is authorized by law to provide or finance. Public agencies may use and pledge any available revenues for and in the payment of amounts due under a contract as an additional source of payment of the contract and may covenant with respect to available revenues to assure the availability of the revenues when required. In this subsection, "revenues" does not mean or include revenues from ad valorem taxes levied and collected by a public agency or the proceeds from the sale or refunding of bonds of a public agency that are to be wholly or partially paid from ad valorem taxes levied and collected by the public agency unless the use or pledge of the tax revenues or bond proceeds is approved by the qualified voters of the public agency at an election called for the purpose of levying taxes or issuing or refunding bonds, or both, for the purpose of using or pledging their revenues or proceeds under contracts entered into under this subsection. (d) A public agency may set, charge, and collect fees, rates, charges, rentals, and other amounts for a service or facility provided by a utility operated by the public agency, or provided under or in connection with a contract with the authority, from the inhabitants of the authority or from any users or beneficiaries of the utility, service, or facility, including: (1) water charges; (2) sewage charges; (3) solid waste disposal system fees and charges, including garbage collection or handling fees; and (4) other fees or charges. (e) A public agency may use and pledge the fees, rates, charges, rentals, and other amounts authorized by Subsection (c) to make payments to the authority required under a contract with the authority and may covenant to do so in amounts sufficient to make all or any part of the payments to the authority when due. If the parties agree in the contract, the payments shall constitute an expense of operation of any facility or utility operated by the public agency. (f) The authority, acting through the board, may carry out any activities and acquire, purchase, construct, own, operate, maintain, repair, improve, or extend and may lease or sell, on terms and conditions, including rentals or sale prices, on which the parties agree, all works, improvements, facilities, plants, buildings, structures, equipment, and appliances, and all real and personal property, or any interest in real or personal property, related to the works, improvements, facilities, plants, buildings, structures, equipment, and appliances, that are incident to or necessary in carrying out or performing any power or function of the authority under this section. (g) The authority may issue bonds with respect to the acquisition, purchase, construction, maintenance, repair, improvement, and extension of works, improvements, facilities, plants, buildings, structures, appliances, and property for the purpose of exercising any of its powers and functions under this section in the manner provided by this chapter or any other applicable law. (h) The authority may issue revenue bonds to pay for the costs of feasibility studies for proposed projects of the authority, including engineering, planning and design, and environmental studies. The authority may include in any revenue bond issue the funds to operate and maintain, for a period not to exceed two years after completion, the facilities acquired or constructed through the revenue bond issue. (i) If bonds issued by the authority recite that they are secured by a pledge of payments under a contract, a copy of the contract and the proceedings relating to the contract may be submitted to the attorney general along with the bonds. If the attorney general finds that the bonds have been authorized and the contract has been made and entered into in accordance with law, the attorney general shall approve the bonds and the contract, and after the approval, the bonds and the contract are incontestable in any court or other forum for any reason and are valid and binding in accordance with their terms and provisions for all purposes. (j) The provisions of Chapters 618, 1201, 1204, 1207, and 1371, Government Code, are applicable to bonds issued by the authority. (k) This section is wholly sufficient authority for the issuance of bonds, the execution of contracts, and the performance of other acts and procedures authorized by this section by the authority and all persons, including public agencies, without reference to any other provision of law or any restriction or limitation contained in those provisions, except as specifically provided by this section. To the extent of any conflict or inconsistency between this section and any other law, including any charter of a home-rule municipality, this section shall prevail and control. The authority and all persons, including public agencies, may use any law not in conflict with this section to the extent convenient or necessary to carry out any power or authority, expressed or implied, granted by this section. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 996, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Renumbered from Water Code, Section 221.012 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 13.006(a), eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 13.006(e), eff. September 1, 2007.