1-1 By: Turner of Harris (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) H.B. No. 663 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 1993; 1-3 May 13, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Intergovernmental Relations; May 25, 1993, reported favorably by 1-5 the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 25, 1993, sent to 1-6 printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE VOTE 1-8 Yea Nay PNV Absent 1-9 Armbrister x 1-10 Leedom x 1-11 Carriker x 1-12 Henderson x 1-13 Madla x 1-14 Moncrief x 1-15 Patterson x 1-16 Rosson x 1-17 Shapiro x 1-18 Wentworth x 1-19 Whitmire x 1-20 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-21 AN ACT 1-22 relating to the filling of vacancies on the governing bodies of 1-23 certain municipalities. 1-24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-25 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 26, Local Government Code, 1-26 is amended by adding Section 26.045 to read as follows: 1-27 Sec. 26.045. FILLING VACANCY ON GOVERNING BODY OF 1-28 MUNICIPALITY WITH POPULATION OF 1.5 MILLION OR MORE. If a vacancy 1-29 occurs on the governing body of a municipality with a population of 1-30 1.5 million or more and more than 270 days remain before the date 1-31 of the next general election of members of the governing body, the 1-32 governing body shall order a special election in the district in 1-33 which the vacancy occurred, or in the entire municipality if the 1-34 vacancy occurred in an at-large position, to fill the vacancy. The 1-35 special election shall be held on an authorized uniform election 1-36 date prescribed by the Election Code that occurs before the general 1-37 election and that allows enough time to hold the election in the 1-38 manner required by law and shall be conducted in the same manner as 1-39 the municipality's general election except as provided by 1-40 provisions of the Election Code applicable to special elections to 1-41 fill vacancies. 1-42 SECTION 2. Section 26.044(j), Local Government Code, is 1-43 repealed. 1-44 SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to 1-45 a vacancy occurring on or after the effective date of this Act. A 1-46 vacancy occurring before the effective date of this Act is covered 1-47 by the law in effect when the vacancy occurred, and the former law 1-48 is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-49 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-50 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-51 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-52 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-53 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-54 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-55 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-56 * * * * * 1-57 Austin, 1-58 Texas 1-59 May 25, 1993 1-60 Hon. Bob Bullock 1-61 President of the Senate 1-62 Sir: 1-63 We, your Committee on Intergovernmental Relations to which was 1-64 referred H.B. No. 663, have had the same under consideration, and I 1-65 am instructed to report it back to the Senate with the 1-66 recommendation that it do pass and be printed. 1-67 Armbrister, 1-68 Chairman 2-1 * * * * * 2-2 WITNESSES 2-3 FOR AGAINST ON 2-4 ___________________________________________________________________ 2-5 Name: Sabrina Foster x 2-6 Representing: Mayor & City Council Houston 2-7 City: Houston 2-8 -------------------------------------------------------------------