By Keel                                         H.B. No. 2141

      75R7982 CAG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the seizure and sale of certain property by certain

 1-3     municipalities.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 214.004, Local Government Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 214.004.  SEIZURE AND SALE OF PROPERTY TO RECOVER

 1-8     EXPENSES.  A Type A general-law municipality or home-rule

 1-9     municipality may foreclose a lien on property under this

1-10     subchapter:

1-11                 (1)  in a proceeding relating to the property brought

1-12     under Subchapter E, Chapter 33, Tax Code; or

1-13                 (2)  in a judicial proceeding, if a building or other

1-14     structure on the property:

1-15                       (A)  has been demolished; and

1-16                       (B)  before the demolition:

1-17                             (i)  the municipality complied with this

1-18     chapter;

1-19                             (ii)  the municipality obtained an

1-20     appraisal that showed the value of the property would be greater

1-21     after the demolition than before the demolition;

1-22                             (iii)  the building or other structure was

1-23     the primary structure on the property;

1-24                             (iv)  the building or structure was

 2-1     unoccupied before the date notice was given under this chapter;

 2-2                             (v)  the ownership of the building or

 2-3     structure has been divided into more than four separately owned and

 2-4     taxable units; and

 2-5                             (vi)  ad valorem taxes are delinquent on

 2-6     all or part of the separately owned and taxable units in the

 2-7     building or structure.

 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.