By Ellis, et al.                                 S.B. No. 892

      75R5849 CAG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the formation of a commission to study issues relating

 1-3     to the consolidation of local governments.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  The Citizen's Commission on Governmental

 1-6     Consolidation and Other Regional Issues is established.

 1-7           (b)  The commission consists of 13 members appointed as

 1-8     follows:

 1-9                 (1)  a presiding officer appointed by the governor; and

1-10                 (2)  12 members, with the governor, lieutenant

1-11     governor, and the speaker of the house each appointing one member

1-12     from each of the following classes of persons:

1-13                       (A)  state officials;

1-14                       (B)  members of the governing body of a

1-15     municipality;

1-16                       (C)  members of a commissioners court; and

1-17                       (D)  members of the general public.

1-18           (c)  In making appointments to the commission, the appointing

1-19     officers shall attempt to appoint members who come from the

1-20     different geographic regions of the state and who represent

1-21     different groups, including chambers of commerce, educational

1-22     institutions, citizens' groups, private industry councils, and

1-23     civil rights groups.

1-24           (d)  Each member of the commission serves at the pleasure of

 2-1     the person who appointed the member.

 2-2           (e)  The commission shall conduct hearings in the different

 2-3     regions of the state on the issues the commission is charged to

 2-4     study.  At least 10 hearings shall be held.  The hearings are open

 2-5     to the public and a written record of the testimony of the hearings

 2-6     shall be maintained.

 2-7           (f)  The commission may adopt rules for the commission's

 2-8     internal procedures.

 2-9           (g)  The commission may request assistance and advice from

2-10     any state department or agency or any county, municipality, or

2-11     other political subdivision.

2-12           (h)  Members of the commission may not receive compensation

2-13     for service on the commission.

2-14           (i)  The commission shall:

2-15                 (1)  study issues relating to the consolidation of

2-16     local governments and determine if consolidation of local

2-17     governments may be in the best interest of the state;

2-18                 (2)  draft, if determined necessary, legislation to

2-19     authorize consolidation;

2-20                 (3)  study issues relating to local annexation and

2-21     interlocal agreements;

2-22                 (4)  assess the impact of consolidation, including any

2-23     proposed legislative changes, on a local government's electoral

2-24     structure; and

2-25                 (5)  study issues relating to the fairness of tax and

2-26     service issues affecting consolidated and nonconsolidated local

2-27     governments.

 3-1           (j)  The commission shall form subcommittees to study:

 3-2                 (1)  changes to voting districts changed by or created

 3-3     by the consolidation of local governments;

 3-4                 (2)  economic and regional impacts of consolidation;

 3-5                 (3)  effects of consolidation on municipalities with a

 3-6     population of less than 5,000 or rural counties; and

 3-7                 (4)  changes to public education caused by

 3-8     consolidation.

 3-9           (k)  Not later than December 1, 1998, the commission shall

3-10     issue a report summarizing:

3-11                 (1)  the hearings conducted by the commission;

3-12                 (2)  any studies conducted by the commission;

3-13                 (3)  any proposed legislation; and

3-14                 (4)  any other findings or recommendations of the

3-15     commission.

3-16           (l)  Copies of the commission report shall be promptly

3-17     delivered to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the

3-18     house.  On the date the report is delivered to those officers, the

3-19     commission is abolished.

3-20           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-21           (b)  The governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of

3-22     the house shall appoint members to the Citizen's Commission on

3-23     Governmental Consolidation and Other Regional Issues, as

3-24     established by this Act, not later than September 15, 1997.

3-25           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 4-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 4-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.