By Yost H.B. No. 311 74R1196 DRH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring a municipality to hold an election in an area 1-3 proposed to be annexed. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 43, Local Government Code, 1-6 is amended by adding Section 43.0215 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 43.0215. VOTER APPROVAL OF ANNEXATION REQUIRED IN 1-8 GENERAL. (a) A municipality may not annex an area for full or 1-9 limited purposes unless: 1-10 (1) the municipality holds in the area an election, at 1-11 which the qualified voters of the area may vote, on the question of 1-12 the annexation; and 1-13 (2) a majority of the votes received at the election 1-14 approve the annexation. 1-15 (b) This section does not apply to an annexation of an area 1-16 if: 1-17 (1) no qualified voters reside in the area; or 1-18 (2) the annexation is authorized by or subject to 1-19 another section of this chapter, other than Section 43.021. 1-20 (c) The municipality shall pay for the cost of holding the 1-21 election. 1-22 SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act by the 1-23 addition of Section 43.0215, Local Government Code, apply only to 1-24 an annexation for which the first hearing notice required by 2-1 Section 43.052, Local Government Code, is published on or after 2-2 September 1, 1995. An annexation for which the first hearing 2-3 notice is published before that date is governed by the law in 2-4 effect at the time the notice is published, and the prior law is 2-5 continued in effect for that purpose. 2-6 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-7 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.