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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to county approval of certain proposed purchases or |
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conversions of properties to house homeless individuals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 233, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. APPROVAL FOR PURCHASE OR USE CONVERSION OF PROPERTY |
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TO HOUSE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS |
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Sec. 233.201. COUNTY APPROVAL. (a) A person, including a |
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political subdivision, may not purchase property to house homeless |
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individuals unless the commissioners court of the county in which |
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the property is located approves a plan described by Section |
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233.202(b). |
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(b) A person may not convert the use of a property owned by |
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the person to enable the property to house homeless individuals |
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unless the commissioners court of the county in which the property |
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is located approves a plan that meets the requirements of Section |
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233.202(b). |
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Sec. 233.202. PLAN REQUIREMENTS. (a) In this section, |
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"proposed new residents" means homeless individuals the applicant |
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intends to house at the purchased or converted property. |
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(b) A plan required by Section 233.201 must describe: |
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(1) the availability of local health care for proposed |
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new residents, including access to Medicaid services and mental |
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health services; |
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(2) the availability of indigent services for proposed |
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new residents; |
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(3) the availability of reasonably affordable public |
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transportation for proposed new residents; |
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(4) local law enforcement resources in the area of the |
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property; and |
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(5) the steps the applicant has taken to coordinate |
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with the local mental health authority to provide for any proposed |
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new residents. |
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(c) An applicant shall respond to reasonable requests for |
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additional information made by the commissioners court regarding |
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the proposed property purchase or use conversion. |
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Sec. 233.203. NOTICE. A person who intends to purchase or |
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convert property to house homeless individuals shall: |
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(1) post notice of the proposed use of the property at |
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the property not later than the 61st day before the proposed date of |
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purchase or conversion; and |
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(2) publish notice of the proposed purchase or |
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conversion of the property for 10 consecutive days in a newspaper of |
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general circulation in the county in which the property is located, |
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with the first day being not later than the 61st day before the |
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proposed date of purchase or conversion. |
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Sec. 233.204. EXCEPTION. This subchapter does not apply to |
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the purchase or use conversion of a property to provide temporary |
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shelter or housing during a natural disaster, declared state of |
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emergency, or other life-threatening public emergency. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a purchase or use conversion described by Subchapter G, Chapter |
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233, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, that is not final |
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on the effective date of this Act. A purchase or use conversion |
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that was final before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect when the purchase or use conversion was completed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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