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.