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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the imposition of a county housing first initiatives |
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fee in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 118, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 118.027 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 118.027. FEE FOR HOUSING FIRST INITIATIVES IN CERTAIN |
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COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county with a |
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population of 500,000 or more. |
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(b) The commissioners court of a county may adopt a housing |
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first initiatives fee. The fee must be: |
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(1) adopted by the commissioners court at an open |
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meeting; and |
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(2) itemized in the county's annual budget as part of |
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the budget preparation process. |
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(c) The fee shall be paid by a person at the time the person |
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pays a fee under Section 118.011(a)(1) or (2). |
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(d) The fee shall be deposited in a separate housing first |
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initiatives account in the general fund of the county. Any interest |
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that accrues on the account remains with the account. |
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(e) Revenue collected from the fee may be used only to fund |
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housing initiatives, including: |
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(1) emergency shelter expansion; |
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(2) homelessness prevention services; |
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(3) street outreach programs; |
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(4) rapid rehousing programs; and |
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(5) transitional housing programs. |
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(f) The county may contract with a private entity, a |
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nonprofit corporation, or a political subdivision to undertake an |
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initiative authorized by this section. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2023. |