BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4245

By: Frullo

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Municipalities located in a county with a population over two million may adopt ordinances that require owners of vacant buildings to register their buildings. Registering vacant building helps a municipality to minimize the threat to health, safety, and welfare that vacant buildings may present to the public. However, most municipalities lack this authority and Lubbock, with a population of about 253,000 people, would benefit from having this authority. H.B. 4245 seeks to address this issue by authorizing a municipality with a population of 250,000 or more located entirely in a county with a population of less than 320,000 that does not contain an international border to adopt ordinances to register vacant buildings.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4245 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a municipality with a population of 250,000 or more located wholly in a county with a population of less than 320,000 that does not contain an international border to adopt an ordinance requiring owners of vacant buildings to register their buildings by filing a registration form with a designated municipal official.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.