Re-establish Water and Sewer Commission and Water and Sewer Fund

HB 635 establishes a Water and Sewer Commission and a corresponding Water and Sewer Fund to help public entities finance water and sewer improvements. The bill allows counties, municipalities, and regional districts to request financial advances from this fund to cover the costs of projects where collecting special assessments from agricultural land is prohibited or deferred. Under the new rules, owners of property in agricultural districts are generally exempt from paying these assessments immediately, though they must notify officials if they withdraw the land from agricultural status or begin using the service. If an owner eventually uses the service or removes the land from the agricultural district, they become responsible for paying the accumulated assessment plus interest, with options available to negotiate extended repayment schedules.