1-1 By: Ellis, Wentworth S.B. No. 892 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 3, 1997; March 6, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental 1-4 Relations; April 7, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 2; April 7, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Moncrief 1-7 Amend S.B. No. 892 at the end of SECTION 1 of the bill (introduced 1-8 version, page 2, between lines 31 and 32) by inserting the 1-9 following: 1-10 (m) The University of Texas at San Antonio shall provide the 1-11 staff and support necessary to administer this Act. 1-12 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 2 By: Cain 1-13 Amend S.B. No. 892 in SECTION 1 of the bill by striking Subsection 1-14 (h) (introduced version, page 1, lines 58 and 59) and substituting 1-15 the following: 1-16 (h) The University of Texas at San Antonio shall reimburse, 1-17 as provided by the General Appropriations Act, the travel expenses 1-18 incurred in conducting the business of the commission by a member 1-19 of the commission who is not a state official, member of the 1-20 governing body of a municipality, or a member of a commissioners 1-21 court. 1-22 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-23 AN ACT 1-24 relating to the formation of a commission to study issues relating 1-25 to the consolidation of local governments. 1-26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-27 SECTION 1. (a) The Citizen's Commission on Governmental 1-28 Consolidation and Other Regional Issues is established. 1-29 (b) The commission consists of 13 members appointed as 1-30 follows: 1-31 (1) a presiding officer appointed by the governor; and 1-32 (2) 12 members, with the governor, the lieutenant 1-33 governor, and the speaker of the house each appointing one member 1-34 from each class from the following classes of persons: 1-35 (A) state officials; 1-36 (B) members of the governing body of a 1-37 municipality; 1-38 (C) members of a commissioners court; and 1-39 (D) members of the general public. 1-40 (c) In making appointments to the commission, the appointing 1-41 officers shall attempt to appoint members who come from the 1-42 different geographic regions of the state and who represent 1-43 different groups, including chambers of commerce, educational 1-44 institutions, citizens groups, private industry councils, and civil 1-45 rights groups. 1-46 (d) Each member of the commission serves at the pleasure of 1-47 the person who appointed the member. 1-48 (e) The commission shall conduct hearings in the different 1-49 regions of the state on the issues the commission is charged to 1-50 study. At least 10 hearings shall be held. The hearings are open 1-51 to the public and a written record of the testimony of the hearings 1-52 shall be maintained. 1-53 (f) The commission may adopt rules for the commission's 1-54 internal procedures. 1-55 (g) The commission may request assistance and advice from 1-56 any state department or agency or any county, municipality, or 1-57 other political subdivision. 1-58 (h) Members of the commission may not receive compensation 1-59 for service on the commission. 1-60 (i) The commission shall: 1-61 (1) study issues relating to the consolidation of 1-62 local governments and determine whether consolidation of local 1-63 governments may be in the best interest of the state; 1-64 (2) draft, if determined necessary, legislation to 2-1 authorize consolidation; 2-2 (3) study issues relating to local annexation and 2-3 interlocal agreements; 2-4 (4) assess the impact of consolidation, including any 2-5 proposed legislative changes, on a local government's electoral 2-6 structure; and 2-7 (5) study issues relating to the fairness of tax and 2-8 service issues affecting consolidated and nonconsolidated local 2-9 governments. 2-10 (j) The commission shall form subcommittees to study: 2-11 (1) changes to voting districts changed by or created 2-12 by the consolidation of local governments; 2-13 (2) economic and regional impacts of consolidation; 2-14 (3) effects of consolidation on municipalities with a 2-15 population of less than 5,000 or on rural counties; and 2-16 (4) changes to public education caused by 2-17 consolidation. 2-18 (k) Not later than December 1, 1998, the commission shall 2-19 issue a report summarizing: 2-20 (1) the hearings conducted by the commission; 2-21 (2) any studies conducted by the commission; 2-22 (3) any proposed legislation; and 2-23 (4) any other findings or recommendations of the 2-24 commission. 2-25 (l) Copies of the commission report shall be promptly 2-26 delivered to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker 2-27 of the house. On the date the report is delivered to those 2-28 officers, the commission is abolished. 2-29 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-30 (b) The governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker 2-31 of the house shall appoint members to the Citizen's Commission on 2-32 Governmental Consolidation and Other Regional Issues, as 2-33 established by this Act, not later than September 15, 1997. 2-34 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-35 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-36 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-37 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-38 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-39 * * * * *