CHAPTER 775. COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES
GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 7. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
CHAPTER 775. COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES
Sec. 775.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Agency" means a state office, institution, or other state
governmental entity.
(2) "Colonia" means a geographic area that:
(A) is an economically distressed area as defined by Section
17.921, Water Code, and consists of 11 or more dwellings that are
located in close proximity to each other in an area that may be
described as a community or neighborhood; and
(B) is:
(i) located in a county any part of which is within 50 miles of
an international border; or
(ii) located in a county:
(a) any part of which is within 100 miles of an international
border; and
(b) that contains the majority of the area of a municipality
with a population of more than 250,000.
(3) "Nonborder colonia" has the meaning assigned by Section
15.001, Water Code.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 404, Sec. 44, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1367, Sec. 11.05, eff.
Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
708, Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.
341, Sec. 4, eff. June 15, 2007.
Sec. 775.002. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES.
(a) The governor may designate an agency to act as the state's
colonia initiatives coordinator.
(b) If appointed under Subsection (a), the colonia initiatives
coordinator shall coordinate colonia initiatives within the
agency and with the other agencies and local officials involved
in colonia projects in the state.
(c) The colonia initiatives coordinator shall work with the
other agencies and local officials involved in colonia projects
in the state to:
(1) coordinate efforts to address colonia issues;
(2) identify nonprofit self-help groups to help with colonia
initiatives;
(3) set goals for each state fiscal year for colonia initiatives
in the state, including goals to:
(A) address easement problems; and
(B) ensure that water and wastewater connections are extended
from distribution lines to houses located in colonias;
(4) ensure that the goals set under this subsection are met each
state fiscal year; and
(5) coordinate state outreach efforts to nonborder colonias and
to political subdivisions capable of providing water and
wastewater services to nonborder colonias.
(d) The following agencies shall designate an officer or
employee of the agency to serve as the agency's liaison for
colonia initiatives:
(1) the office of the attorney general;
(2) the Department of State Health Services;
(3) the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;
(4) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
(5) the Texas Water Development Board;
(6) the Texas Department of Rural Affairs;
(7) the Office of State-Federal Relations;
(8) the Texas Department of Insurance; and
(9) the Texas Department of Transportation.
(e) Each agency's liaison for colonia initiatives under
Subsection (d) must be a deputy executive director or a person of
equivalent or higher authority at the agency. This subsection
does not authorize the creation of a new position for colonia
coordination at a state agency.
(f) In coordinating colonia initiatives under this section, the
coordinator shall consider the advice and recommendations of the
Colonia Resident Advisory Committee established under Section
2306.584.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 404, Sec. 44, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1367, Sec. 11.06, eff.
Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
351, Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2005.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch.
112, Sec. 96, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 775.003. COLONIA OMBUDSPERSON PROGRAM. The colonia
initiatives coordinator shall appoint a colonia ombudsperson in:
(1) each of the six border counties that the coordinator
determines have the largest colonia populations; and
(2) each additional county any part of which is within 100 miles
of an international border and that contains the majority of the
area of a municipality with a population of more than 250,000.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 404, Sec. 44, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
708, Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.
341, Sec. 5, eff. June 15, 2007.
Sec. 775.004. INFORMATION ON COLONIAS. (a) The colonia
ombudspersons shall gather information about the colonias in the
counties for which the ombudspersons were appointed and provide
the information to the secretary of state, to assist the
secretary of state in preparing the report required under Section
405.021.
(b) To the extent possible, the ombudspersons shall gather
information regarding:
(1) the platting of each colonia;
(2) the infrastructure of each colonia;
(3) the availability of health care services;
(4) the availability of financial assistance; and
(5) any other appropriate topic as requested by the secretary of
state.
(c) The ombudspersons shall provide the information to the
secretary of state not later than September 1 of each
even-numbered year.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
828, Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2005.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.
341, Sec. 6, eff. June 15, 2007.
Sec. 775.005. DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY TO ASSIST COLONIA
RESIDENTS. (a) To improve services delivered to colonia
residents, the colonia initiatives coordinator shall work with
the Colonia Resident Advisory Committee established under Section
2306.584.
(b) The coordinator may establish an advisory committee similar
to the Colonia Resident Advisory Committee to supplement the
efforts of the Colonia Resident Advisory Committee by providing
representation for colonia residents in counties that are not
represented by a member of the Colonia Resident Advisory
Committee.
(c) The coordinator shall consider the advice of the Colonia
Resident Advisory Committee and any committee established under
Subsection (b) regarding the needs of colonia residents.
(d) Based on the advice received under Subsection (c) and any
recommendations received from the agencies listed in Section
775.002(d), the coordinator shall define and develop a strategy
to address the needs of colonia residents and make
recommendations to the legislature based on that strategy. The
coordinator shall recommend appropriate programs, grants, and
activities to the legislature.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch.
351, Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2005.
Renumbered from Government Code, Section 775.004 by Acts 2007,
80th Leg., R.S., Ch.
921, Sec. 17.001(41), eff. September 1, 2007.