BILL ANALYSIS



C.S.H.B. 2805
By: Naishtat
April 11, 1995
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND

Municipal housing authorities are governed by boards with
commissioners appointed by the mayor.  Although public housing
tenants are not prohibited from serving as commissioners, tenants
generally have not been appointed to serve where such appointment
is not required.  This lack of tenant involvement impedes
communication.

House Bill 1547, passed in the 73rd Session, provided for the
appointment of tenant representatives as commissioners of
municipal, county, and regional housing authorities.  However,
cities with a population of less than 75,000 were exempted from its
provisions.


PURPOSE

The intent of the proposed legislation is to make housing authority
boards more responsive to the needs of residents of public housing
and thereby to improve the living conditions in public housing.

This bill calls for one of the commissioners of municipal housing
authority boards to be a tenant of public housing, regardless of
the size of the city.


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.


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 392.0331(a), Local Government Code, by
           deleting the exemption for municipalities with a
           population under 75,000.  All municipal housing
           authorities are thereby covered by the provisions of
           this section.

           Amends Section 392.0331(f), Local Government Code, to
prohibit tenant 
           representative commissioners from serving consecutive
terms.

SECTION 2. Provides that any housing authority commissioner serving
           on the effective date of this act may continue to serve
           out his or her term.  Provides that tenant
           representatives shall be appointed as the terms of
           current commissioners expire or as other vacancies
           arise.

SECTION 3. Emergency Clause.


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute amends Section 392.0331(f), Local Government Code,
to prohibit tenant representative commissioners from serving
consecutive terms.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

HB 2805 was considered by the full committee on April 3, 1995.  The
committee considered a complete substitute for the bill.  The
substitute was adopted without objection.  The following people
testified in favor of the bill: Rep. Naishtat; John Henneberger,
representing Texas Low Income Housing Information Service; Pamela
M. Brown, representing Texas Legal Services Center; and Janee
Briesemeister, representing Consumer's Union.  The bill was
reported favorably, as substituted, by a record vote of 6 ayes, 0
nays, 1 pnv, and 2 absent.