SPECIAL DISTRICT LOCAL LAWS CODE CHAPTER 5008. WILLACY COUNTY NAVIGATION DISTRICT

SPECIAL DISTRICT LOCAL LAWS CODE

TITLE 5. TRANSPORTATION

SUBTITLE A. NAVIGATION DISTRICTS AND PORT AUTHORITIES

CHAPTER 5008. WILLACY COUNTY NAVIGATION DISTRICT

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Board" means the district's board of navigation and canal commissioners.

(2) "Commissioner" means a board member.

(3) "District" means the Willacy County Navigation District.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0102. FINDINGS OF PURPOSE. The creation of the district is essential to accomplish the purposes of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

SUBCHAPTER B. DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0201. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS; TERM. (a) The board consists of five elected commissioners.

(b) Commissioners serve staggered four-year terms.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0202. ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS. (a) The district is divided into four numbered single-member districts for electing commissioners.

(b) The board may revise the single-member districts as necessary or appropriate.

(c) One commissioner is elected from each single-member district, and one commissioner is elected from the district at large.

(d) The board shall hold an election on the uniform election date in November of each even-numbered year to elect the appropriate number of commissioners.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0203. PRESIDING OFFICER. The commissioner elected from the district at large serves as the board's presiding officer.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0204. GENERAL MANAGER OR PORT DIRECTOR. (a) The board may:

(1) employ a general manager or port director; and

(2) give the manager or director full administrative authority to manage and operate the district's affairs, subject only to the board's supervision.

(b) The board shall set the term of office and compensation of the general manager or port director.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0301. AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE AND LEASE LAND; EMINENT DOMAIN. (a) The district may own land adjacent or accessible to the navigable water in the district, whether acquired by gift, purchase, or exercise of the power of eminent domain.

(b) The district may:

(1) lease all or any part of land the district owns for any term the board considers prudent or advisable to:

(A) an individual;

(B) a corporation; or

(2) charge a reasonable toll, fee, rent, or other charge for the lease.

(c) This section does not prevent the district from granting a revocable license or permit for the use of a limited portion of a waterfront facility or land the district owns for a purpose consistent with the development of the district's property.

(d) The district's authority under this section to exercise the power of eminent domain expired on September 1, 2013, unless the district submitted a letter to the comptroller in accordance with Section 2206.101(b), Government Code, not later than December 31, 2012.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0302. AUTHORITY TO SELL LAND. The district may sell any part of land the district owns to any government or governmental agency, including this state or the United States, for any amount of money the board considers prudent and advisable if the board considers the sale necessary and advisable for the proper development of the port.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0303. AUTHORITY TO LEASE OR GRANT EASEMENTS FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES. The district may, for causeway, road, or public utility purposes, lease, or grant an easement over or along, any real property the district owns or holds in fee simple or by patent, easement, or otherwise to:

(1) an individual;

(2) a corporation; or

(3) a government or governmental entity, including this state or the United States.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0304. CONVEYANCE AND ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY. (a) This section applies only to property, including land or an interest in land, that:

(1) the district owns;

(2) the United States desires to enable a United States department or establishment to carry out the provisions of an act of Congress in aid of navigation, flood control, or improvement of water courses in aid of navigation; and

(3) may be necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of works required for a purpose described by Subdivision (2).

(b) The district may:

(1) on the request of the United States, convey title or an easement to property, including land or an interest in land, to the United States with or without monetary consideration; and

(2) acquire land or a right-of-way necessary to carry out the provisions or meet the conditions of an act of Congress described by Subsection (a).

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0305. ENTRY ON PROPERTY. District commissioners, engineers, and employees may enter any land in the district to attend to any district business, including to examine the land and to make plans, surveys, maps, and profiles for improvements contemplated by the district.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0306. POWERS REGARDING PUBLIC AIRPORTS. (a) The district, in carrying out the district's powers and functions under the constitution and statutes of this state, may:

(1) plan, acquire, own, control, protect, develop, maintain, and operate, or arrange by lease or contract for the operation of, a public airport; and

(2) exercise for a purpose described by Subdivision (1) any powers granted to the district for other port purposes.

(b) The district may:

(1) enter into grant agreements with the United States to obtain federal grant-in-aid money for public airport purposes; and

(2) accept, receive, disburse, and spend the money for the purposes, and in accordance with the time and conditions, provided by the applicable grant agreements.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0307. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SECURITY SERVICES. The board may:

(1) employ and set the compensation of security personnel to protect the district's property; or

(2) pay all or a part of the compensation of a deputy sheriff of Willacy County or a deputy constable of any precinct in which the district owns navigation facilities for special services provided to the district in policing the district's property and enforcing state laws in the district's territory.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

SUBCHAPTER D. GENERAL FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0401. AD VALOREM TAX FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. (a) The board may impose an ad valorem tax at a rate not to exceed 20 cents on each $100 valuation of taxable property in the district for the maintenance and operation of the district and the district's properties.

(b) The tax at its authorized rate must be imposed in the manner prescribed for bond taxes under Subchapter E, subject to the limit prescribed by Subsection (a).

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

SUBCHAPTER E. BONDS

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0501. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter applies only to bonds payable from both ad valorem taxes and district revenue.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0502. NOTICE OF ELECTION. (a) Instead of any other notice required by law, notice of an election to issue bonds must be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the district and must state:

(1) the date of the election;

(2) the place at which the election will be held; and

(3) the proposition to be voted on at the election.

(b) The first publication under Subsection (a) must be at least 14 days before the date of the election.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0503. FORM OF BONDS. Bonds authorized at an election must be:

(1) issued by board order; and

(2) signed by the board's presiding officer and secretary.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2027

Sec. 5008.0504. TAXES FOR BONDS. (a) If bonds are issued, the board shall impose an ad valorem tax on all taxable property in the district in each year during which the bonds are outstanding and unpaid.

(b) The board shall impose the tax at the rate necessary to generate an amount of revenue which, together with the net revenue in the interest and sinking fund for the bonds at that time, is sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds that will be due during the next fiscal year.

(d) The Willacy County tax assessor-collector shall:

(1) collect the bond taxes in the same manner provided by law for the collection of other district taxes; and

(2) remit all taxes collected to:

(A) the county treasurer of Willacy County; or

(B) the district's account.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 1615), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.