By Brady, Rabuck H.B. No. 1710 74R6789 CAG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring certain municipalities to hold an election in 1-3 an area 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 CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section applies only to a 1-9 municipality with a population of 1.6 million or more. 1-10 (b) The municipality may not annex an area for full or 1-11 limited purposes unless: 1-12 (1) the municipality holds in the area an election, at 1-13 which the qualified voters of the area may vote, on the question of 1-14 the annexation; and 1-15 (2) a majority of the votes received at the election 1-16 approve the annexation. 1-17 (c) This section does not apply to an annexation of an area 1-18 if: 1-19 (1) no qualified voters reside in the area; or 1-20 (2) the annexation is authorized by or subject to 1-21 another section of this chapter, other than Section 43.021. 1-22 (d) The municipality shall pay for the cost of holding the 1-23 election. 1-24 SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act by the 2-1 addition of Section 43.0215, Local Government Code, apply only to 2-2 an annexation for which the first hearing notice required by 2-3 Section 43.052, Local Government Code, is published on or after 2-4 September 1, 1995. An annexation for which the first hearing 2-5 notice is published before that date is governed by the law in 2-6 effect at the time the notice is published, and the prior law is 2-7 continued in effect for that purpose. 2-8 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-9 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.