SB2204

Water Code 15.008 already exempted contracts under Chapter 15 subchapters F, H, I, K and P, plus a narrower group of subchapter C contracts relating to economically distressed areas or nonborder colonias. SB2204 adds subchapters B and R and extends the exemption to all subchapter C contracts, while retaining the existing listed exemptions. It does not exempt every Water Development Board contract. Final law, section 1; Prior exemption list.

The affected funding framework includes the water assistance fund, the water loan assistance program in subchapter C, and rural water assistance in subchapter R. The latter supports water and water-quality projects in rural areas. The bill does not create those funds or rewrite their authorized uses. Water assistance and named subchapter funds; Water loan assistance fund; Rural program purpose; Final law.

Government Code Chapter 783 is the statewide framework for uniform assurances, financial-management conditions, and related reporting and audit coordination. Removing that chapter’s application is not permission to disregard every other law, board rule or contract obligation. For example, SB2204 does not repeal Water Code 15.006’s open-meetings and public-records requirements for nonprofit water supply corporations receiving Chapter 15 assistance. Contracts entered before September 1, 2025 remain governed by the previous law. Uniform assurances; Financial-management conditions; Reporting and auditing coordination; Retained transparency requirement; Final law, sections 1–3.

Changes during passage: The introduced, Senate committee, Senate-passed, House committee and final versions have the same operative provisions. Both committees reported without amendments; the official index lists none. Introduced; Senate committee; Senate-passed; House committee; Final law; Amendment index; Version index.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Covered contracts no longer have to use this particular statewide management framework, which may reduce overlapping administration. The tradeoff is less reliance on uniform conditions for those contracts; applicable program-specific safeguards still matter. The act does not quantify paperwork savings, guarantee faster construction, eliminate all audits, or approve a particular project. Final law.

The April 3 fiscal note anticipates no significant state or local fiscal implication and assumes costs can be absorbed within existing resources. The act makes no appropriation and supplies no dollar estimate of administrative savings. Fiscal note.