BWH C.S.S.B. 1211 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS COUNTY AFFAIRS S.B. 1211 By: Ogden (Lewis, Ron) 4-30-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, the law prohibits commissioners courts in counties with populations of less than 350,000 from meeting in any place other than the county courthouse or county building used for commissioners meetings. Some commissioners in counties with populations of less than 350,000 persons may wish to meet at other locations when they are holding a joint meeting with the governing body of another political entity in the county. This bill removes the 350,000 population requirement and allows commissioners to hold joint meetings with other governing bodies of political entities. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1211 allows county commissioners to hold joint meetings with other governing bodies of political entities; removes a population requirement for the county. 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 Article 81.005(c), Local Government Code, to require the term meeting of a commissioners court to be held at the regular meeting place of another political subdivision if the commissioners court meets with the governing body of that political subdivision located wholly or partly within the county and the regular meeting place of that political subdivision is in the county. Requires the term to be held at a meeting place in the county in a building owned by another political subdivision located wholly or partly in the county under certain conditions. Requires the term to be held at a meeting place in the county in a building owned by the county under certain conditions. Deletes text requiring the commissioners court to serve a county with a population of 350,000 or more. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.