By:  Shapiro                                          S.B. No. 1854

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the fee a municipality may charge for a false alarm by

 1-2     a burglar alarm system.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 218.007, Local Government Code, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 218.007.  Penalty Limitations.  (a)  A municipality may

 1-7     not impose a penalty or fee for the signaling of a false alarm by a

 1-8     burglar alarm system installed at a residential location unless at

 1-9     least three [five] other false alarms have occurred during the

1-10     preceding 12-month period.  A municipality may not impose a penalty

1-11     or fee for the signaling of a false alarm by a burglar alarm system

1-12     installed at a commercial location unless at least five other false

1-13     alarms have occurred during the preceding 12-month period.

1-14           (b)  A penalty or fee imposed for a false alarm must be

1-15     established by ordinance based on the type and level of emergency

1-16     response provided.  Except as provided by Subsection (c):

1-17                 (1)  this [This] fee may not exceed $50 in the case of

1-18     the category of burglar alarms; and[ .]

1-19                 (2)  the [The] penalty or fee for a false alarm may not

1-20     exceed the actual expenses incurred for the response.

1-21           (c)  A municipality may increase a penalty or fee imposed for

 2-1     the signaling of a false alarm at a residential location to $100

 2-2     for the sixth false alarm in a 12-month period and each subsequent

 2-3     false alarm in the same 12-month period.

 2-4           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-9     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-10     passage, and it is so enacted.