HBA-RBT H.B. 665 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 665 By: Denny Land & Resource Management 2/24/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Water Code provides that a county containing two or more municipalities each with a population of 250,000 or more has authority to enforce flood plain regulations through civil penalties. The Health and Safety Code authorizes county regulation of the flood plain and provides various penalties for violations. H.B. 665 provides that a county with a population of 270,000 or more and that is adjacent to two or more counties, both with a population of one million or more, has the statutory authority to enforce flood plain regulations pursuant to Section 16.323. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 16.323(c), Water Code, to provide that this section is applicable to a county that has a population of 270,000 or more and is adjacent to two or more counties each of which has a population of one million or more, as well as to counties with two or more municipalities each of which has a population of over 250,000. Section 16.323 authorizes a county to sue and obtain an injunction against a person who has violated, is violating, or is threatening to violate Subchapter I, Water Code (Flood Insurance). SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.