By Lindsay                                      S.B. No. 1166

      75R7702 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the election from districts of members of the governing

 1-3     body of a municipality.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 2, Local Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Chapter 27 to read as follows:

 1-7      CHAPTER 27.  USE OF DISTRICTS TO ELECT MEMBERS OF GOVERNING BODY

 1-8           Sec. 27.001.  REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  If a municipality elects

 1-9     some or all of the members of its governing body from a district

1-10     consisting of less than the total area of the municipality, the

1-11     district must:

1-12                 (1)  be composed of contiguous territory; and

1-13                 (2)  not be drawn in a manner that divides communities

1-14     of interest or creates a noncompact district if the predominant

1-15     consideration was the separation of persons of different racial or

1-16     ethnic groups.

1-17           (b)  Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to a district that is

1-18     narrowly tailored to promote a compelling government interest.

1-19           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-1     passage, and it is so enacted.