By Thompson, Hilbert, Dutton, Hamric, Crabb, H.B. No. 892
et al.
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 892:
By Clark C.S.H.B. No. 892
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to withdrawal of a unit from a rapid transit authority.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 451.617, Transportation Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 (a) In an authority created before 1980 in which the principal
1-7 municipality has a population of 750,000 or more [less than 1.2
1-8 million], a unit of election, other than the principal
1-9 municipality, may withdraw from the authority, in addition to any
1-10 other manner provided by law, by a vote of a majority of the
1-11 registered voters of the unit of election voting at an election on
1-12 the question of withdrawing from the authority.
1-13 (b) The governing body of a unit of election in the authority,
1-14 other than the principal municipality, shall call an election under
1-15 this section in a unit of election if a petition requesting that an
1-16 election to withdraw from the authority be held is submitted to the
1-17 governing body and is signed by at least 10 percent of registered
1-18 voters of the unit of election on the date the petition is
1-19 submitted. To be counted for purposes of validating the petition,
1-20 a signature on the petition must have been inscribed not earlier
1-21 than the 120th day before the date the petition is submitted to the
1-22 governing body.
1-23 (c) The governing body, before the 31st day after the date the
1-24 petition is submitted to the governing body, shall determine
2-1 whether a petition under this section is valid, and if the
2-2 governing body fails to act on the petition before the expiration
2-3 of that period, the petition is valid.
2-4 (d) Sections 451.601, 451.607, 451.608, 451.609, 451.611,
2-5 451.612(a), and 451.613 apply to the withdrawal of a unit of
2-6 election under this section.
2-7 (e) Except as provided for in subsection (f), [An] an election may
2-8 not be held under this section on a date earlier than the first
2-9 anniversary of the date of the most recent election held under this
2-10 section.
2-11 (f) In an authority created before 1980 in which the principal
2-12 municipality has a population greater than 1.6 million, an election
2-13 may not be held under this section on a date earlier than the sixth
2-14 anniversary of the date of the most recent held election under this
2-15 section.
2-16 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the crowded
2-17 condition of the calendars in both houses create an emergency and
2-18 imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring
2-19 bills to be read on three several days in each house be suspended,
2-20 and that this rule is hereby suspended, and that this Act take
2-21 effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so
2-22 enacted.