HB 3322

relating to the procedure for amending or revoking certificates of
public convenience and necessity issued to certain water utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 13.2541, Water Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as
(b)  As an alternative to decertification or expedited
release under Section 13.254, the owner of a tract of land that is
at least 25 acres and that is not receiving water or sewer service
may petition for expedited release of the area from a certificate of
public convenience and necessity in the manner provided by this
section and is entitled to that release if the landowner's property
is located in a county with a population of at least 1.2 million, a
county adjacent to a county with a population of at least 1.2
million, [or] a county with a population of more than 200,000 and
less than 233,500 that does not contain a public or private
university that had a total enrollment in the most recent fall
semester of 40,000 or more, or a county adjacent to a county
adjacent to a county with a population of at least 1.2 million [and
not in a county that has a population of more than 50,500 and less
(e-1)  A landowner that submits a petition under this section
may agree to pay to the certificate holder that is the subject of
the petition under this section an amount equal to the amount
necessary to pay or defease a federal loan for a certificate holder
that is a borrower under a federal loan program.  On request from
the petitioner, the certificate holder must provide the petitioner
with the amount necessary to pay or defease the federal loan.  The
utility commission may issue an order to require the certificate
holder to accept a loan payment or defeasance under this section.
SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a proceeding affecting a certificate of public convenience and
necessity that commences on or after the effective date of this Act.
A proceeding affecting a certificate of public convenience and
necessity that commenced before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the proceeding is
commenced, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.