H.B. No. 447 introduces a new section to the Water Code, specifically Section 54.5162, which mandates that certain municipal utility districts must conduct traffic impact studies before issuing bonds for road projects. This requirement applies to districts that have the power of eminent domain and are located in specific counties, particularly those that contain parts of the Cedar Creek Reservoir and border counties with populations of 2.6 million or more. The bill outlines the parameters for the traffic studies, including the roads and intersections that must be evaluated, and stipulates that the results must be submitted to the commissioners court of each relevant county.

Additionally, the bill specifies that traffic impact studies must be conducted prior to the platting of land served by the proposed road project and must be updated if the original plat is revised after two years. The commissioners court has the discretion to waive these requirements, and studies will expire two years after their completion, although expired studies may still be accepted at the court's discretion. The provisions of this bill will only apply to bonds issued after its effective date of September 1, 2025, with prior bonds governed by existing law.

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