The Lead: House to Vote on Water Plan, Protecting Capitol Views

Good morning. The National Weather Service says Austin’s in for a warm and breezy day, with highs in the lower 80s.

Lead Story: As more people move to Texas, the state is facing a growing need for water. At the state Capitol yesterday, a plan to establish a long-term fund for water projects took a significant step forward.

StateImpact Texas reports:

The bill, HB 4, would take money from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to start a loan program for new water projects. It passed unanimously in a committee, and now it heads to the House floor for a vote. …

The latest version that passed today is much more detailed, going from eight pages to 31, and puts added focus on conservation. As before, 20 percent of the funding would go towards conservation projects. But it also includes conservation as a factor for water supply projects that want funding from the new program. 

Capitol View Corridor Bill Moving: One of Austin’s best-known views of the State Capitol is getting protection from the state.

The view of the dome looking up Congress Avenue from Cesar Chavez is being codified in Texas Law, thanks to House Bill 2256 from Austin Reps Donna Howard and Elliott Naishtat.

It’s one of the city’s Capitol View Corridors, some of them protected by state law, others by city code.

The bill is now off to the House’s Local and Consent calendars committee.