By Keel H.B. No. 2231
75R6455 DRH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the election of the board of certain mass transit
1-3 authorities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,
1-6 is amended by adding Section 451.5036 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 451.5036. ELECTED BOARD. (a) Notwithstanding Sections
1-8 451.501 and 451.502, the board of an authority confirmed before
1-9 July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population
1-10 of less than 750,000 shall be elected as provided by this section.
1-11 (b) The board shall divide the authority into a number of
1-12 districts equal to the number of members on the board. The
1-13 districts must:
1-14 (1) be compact;
1-15 (2) not, to the extent possible, divide a county or
1-16 municipality located in the authority; and
1-17 (3) as nearly as practicable, be contiguous and be of
1-18 equal population, according to the most recent federal census.
1-19 (c) Voters of each authority district are entitled to elect
1-20 one member of the board. A candidate for the board must be a
1-21 resident of the district the candidate seeks to represent. A
1-22 member of the board vacates the office if the member ceases to
1-23 reside in the district the member represents.
1-24 (d) Members of an elected board under this section serve
2-1 staggered two-year terms that begin on the first day of the month
2-2 following the month the votes for board members are canvassed.
2-3 (e) A vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment
2-4 made by the remaining board members. The appointed person serves
2-5 for the unexpired term.
2-6 (f) The board shall redraw authority districts in accordance
2-7 with Subsection (b) not later than the 120th day after the date of
2-8 the release of the federal decennial census. The new districts
2-9 take effect at the first authority district election that occurs on
2-10 or after the 180th day after the date of the release of the federal
2-11 decennial census.
2-12 (g) After the first election following a redistricting of an
2-13 authority, one-half of the members of the board, rounded up to the
2-14 next whole number, serve two-year terms, and the remaining members
2-15 serve one-year terms. The members shall draw lots to determine the
2-16 length of their terms.
2-17 (h) Members of a board elected under this section shall
2-18 choose their presiding officers.
2-19 SECTION 2. (a) This section applies only to an authority to
2-20 which Section 451.5036, Transportation Code, as added by this Act,
2-21 applies.
2-22 (b) Not later than January 1, 1998, the board of the
2-23 authority shall divide the authority into the districts as required
2-24 by Section 451.5036(b).
2-25 (c) The first election for the members of the board shall be
2-26 held on the first Saturday in May 1998.
2-27 (d) The terms of appointed members of the board serving on
3-1 the effective date of this Act expire on June 1, 1998. After the
3-2 initial election of members of the board, the members shall draw
3-3 lots to determine the length of their terms as required by Section
3-4 451.5036(g).
3-5 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-10 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-11 passage, and it is so enacted.