By Patterson S.B. No. 74 74R350 DRH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of a county to regulate dangerous 1-3 structures; providing a penalty. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 7, Local Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Chapter 239 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 239. COUNTY REGULATION OF STRUCTURES 1-8 Sec. 239.001. REQUIRING REPAIR, REMOVAL, OR DEMOLITION OF 1-9 BUILDING OR OTHER STRUCTURE. (a) If the commissioners court of a 1-10 county finds that a building, bulkhead or other method of shoreline 1-11 protection, fence, shed, awning, or other structure, or part of a 1-12 structure, in an unincorporated area of the county is likely to 1-13 endanger persons or property, the commissioners court may: 1-14 (1) order the owner of the structure, the owner's 1-15 agent, or the owner or occupant of the property on which the 1-16 structure is located to repair, remove, or demolish the structure, 1-17 or the part of the structure, within a specified time; or 1-18 (2) repair, remove, or demolish the structure, or the 1-19 part of the structure, at the expense of the county, on behalf of 1-20 the owner of the structure or the owner of the property on which 1-21 the structure is located, and assess the repair, removal, or 1-22 demolition expenses on the property on which the structure was 1-23 located. 1-24 (b) The commissioners court shall provide by order for: 2-1 (1) the assessment of repair, removal, or demolition 2-2 expenses incurred under Subsection (a)(2); 2-3 (2) a method of giving notice of the assessment; and 2-4 (3) a method of recovering the expenses. 2-5 (c) A person commits an offense if the person does not 2-6 comply with an order issued under Subsection (a)(1). An offense 2-7 under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. 2-8 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-14 passage, and it is so enacted.