88R33271 JAM-D By: King of Uvalde H.R. No. 2473 R E S O L U T I O N BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, That House Rule 13, Section 9(a), be suspended in part as provided by House Rule 13, Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on Senate Joint Resolution 75 (proposing a constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state) to consider and take action on the following matters: (1) House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1) and (3), are suspended to permit the committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement and add text on a matter not in disagreement in proposed SECTION 1 of the resolution, by including in added Section 49-d-16(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, text that reads as follows: The legislature may appropriate money for the purpose of depositing the money to the fund to be available for transfer as provided by Subsection (b) of this section. Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that money may be appropriated to the Texas water fund. (2) House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1) and (3), are suspended to permit the committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement and add text on a matter not in disagreement in proposed SECTION 1 of the resolution, by including in added Section 49-d-16(b), Article III, Texas Constitution, text that reads as follows: , including the transfer of money from the fund to or the restoration of the money from: (1) the Water Assistance Fund No. 480; (2) the New Water Supply for Texas Fund; (3) the Rural Water Assistance Fund No. 301; or (4) the Statewide Water Public Awareness Account. Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that money in the Texas water fund may be transferred to or restored from certain other funds. (3) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(4), is suspended to permit the committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house or senate version of the resolution in proposed SECTION 1 of the resolution, by adding Section 49-d-16(e), Article III, Texas Constitution, to read as follows: (e) Of the amount of money initially appropriated to the Texas water fund, the administrator of the fund shall allocate not less than 25 percent to be used only for transfer to the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify the purposes for which money in the Texas water fund may be used. (4) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(4), is suspended to permit the committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house or senate version of the resolution in proposed SECTION 1 of the resolution, by adding Section 49-d-16(h), Article III, Texas Constitution, to read as follows: (h) Any unexpended and unobligated balance remaining in the Texas water fund at the end of a state fiscal biennium is appropriated to the administrator of that fund for the following state fiscal biennium for the purposes authorized by this section. Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that unexpended and unobligated money in the Texas water fund must remain in that fund until transferred by the administrator of that fund.