Sec. 362.003. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Bond" includes a note or other evidence of indebtedness.

(2) "Cost" means expenses related or incidental to the acquisition, construction, or improvement of a system, including:

(A) real property acquired for a system;

(B) finance charges;

(C) interest before and during construction and for a period the issuer finds reasonable after completion of construction;

(D) expenses incurred for architectural, engineering, and legal services;

(E) license fees and royalties;

(F) expenses incurred for plans, specifications, surveys, and estimates;

(G) expenses incurred in placing the system in operation; and

(H) administration expenses.

(3) "Issuer" means a district or authority that:

(A) is created under Article XVI, Section 59, or Article III, Section 52, of the Texas Constitution;

(B) is authorized by law to own a waste disposal system; and

(C) includes within its boundaries all of at least one county.

(4) "Public agency" means:

(A) an issuer;

(B) a municipality; or

(C) another political subdivision or agency of the state authorized to own and operate a solid waste collection, transportation, or disposal facility or system.

(5) "Real property" means land, a structure, a franchise or interest in land, air rights, or another thing or right pertaining to that property, including an easement, right-of-way, use, lease, license, or other incorporeal hereditament, or an estate, interest, or legal or equitable right, including a term for years or lien on that property because of a judgment, mortgage, or other reason.

(6) "Resolution" means the action, including an order or ordinance, that authorizes bonds and that is taken by the issuer's governing body.

(7) "Security agreement" means a trust indenture or other instrument securing bonds.

(8) "Solid waste" has the meaning assigned by Chapter 361 (Solid Waste Disposal Act).

(9) "System" means real property, plants, works, facilities, equipment, pipelines, machinery, vehicles, vessels, rolling stock, licenses, or franchises used or useful:

(A) in connection with processing solid waste to extract, recover, reclaim, salvage, reduce, or concentrate the solid waste, or convert it to energy or useful matter or resources including electricity, steam, or other form of energy, metal, fertilizer, glass, or other form of resource; or

(B) in the transportation, receipt, storage, transfer, and handling of solid waste, the preparation, separation, or processing of solid waste for reuse, the handling and transportation of recovered matter, resources, or energy, and the handling, transportation, and disposition of nonrecoverable solid waste residue.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.