Sec. 15.405.  FLOOD CONTROL PLANNING CONTRACTS.  (a)  In this section, "flood control planning" means any work related to:
(1)  planning for flood protection;
(2)  preparing applications for and obtaining regulatory approvals at the local, state, or federal level;
(3)  activities associated with administrative or legal proceedings by regulatory agencies; and
(4)  preparing engineering plans and specifications to provide structural or nonstructural flood mitigation and drainage.
(a-1)  The board may enter into contracts with political subdivisions to pay from the research and planning fund all or part of the cost of flood control planning for the political subdivision.
(b)  A political subdivision that desires money from the research and planning fund for flood control planning shall submit a written application to the board in the manner and form required by board rules.
(c)  The application shall include:
(1)  the name of the political subdivision;
(2)  a citation to the laws under which the political subdivision was created and is operating including specific citation of all laws providing flood control authority;
(3)  the amount requested from the board for flood control planning;  and
(4)  any other information required by the board in its rules or specifically requested by the board.
(d)  After notice and hearing, the board may award the applicant all or part of the requested funds that are considered necessary by the board for the political subdivision to carry out adequate flood control planning.
(e)  If the board grants an application under this section and awards funds for flood control planning, the board shall enter into a contract with the political subdivision that includes:
(1)  a detailed statement of the purpose for which the money is to be used;
(2)  the total amount of money to be paid from the research and planning fund under the contract;  and
(3)  any other terms and conditions required by board rules or agreed to by the contracting parties.
(f)  The board shall adopt rules establishing criteria of eligibility for flood control planning money that considers:
(1)  the relative need of the political subdivision for the money, giving greater importance to a county that has a median household income that is not greater than 85 percent of the median state household income;
(2)  the legal authority of the political subdivision to plan for and control flooding; and
(3)  the effect of flood control planning by the political subdivision on overall flood control in the state and within the area in which the political subdivision is located.
(g)  The board shall require that flood control planning documents developed under contracts entered into under this section be made available to the commission.
Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 102, ch. 12, Sec. 1, eff. Nov. 10, 1981.  Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 1.043, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 947 (S.B. 7), Sec. 1.01, eff. June 13, 2019.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 947 (S.B. 7), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 13, 2019.