HBA-PDH H.B. 1395 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1395
By: Dunnam
Land & Resource Mgmt.
2/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a change in a single-member city council district boundary is
not effective for an election unless the date of the ordinance adopting the
boundary change is more than five months before the election day.  Recent
annexation of a municipality has left the newly annexed citizens of that
municipality without the right to participate in an upcoming election.
H.B. 1395 allows the newly annexed citizens to participate in a city
election process by recognizing their residency in an area prior to
annexation.  This bill, which was filed as a result of an annexation
involving the city of Waco, expires on January 1, 2000 and will affect only
elections occurring in 1999.    

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  EFFECT OF ANNEXATION ON VOTING RIGHTS AND RIGHT TO FILE FOR
CANDIDACY.  (a)  Provides that this section applies only to a home-rule
municipality with a population of 105,000 or less. 

(b)  Requires a municipality holding an election on or after the 90th day
after the effective date of an annexation, to permit all qualified voters
residing in the area annexed to vote in any municipal election and any
otherwise qualified person residing in the area annexed to file as a
candidate for municipal office if the person satisfies the residency
requirements to be eligible for candidacy by any combination of residence
in the municipality or the area annexed. 

SECTION 2.  EXTENSION OF FILING DEADLINE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.  Extends
the filing deadline for a candidate's application until three days after
the effective date of this Act if the filing deadline expires by other law
before the effective date of this Act and the candidate resides in an area
annexed. 

SECTION 3.Expiration date:  January 1, 2000.

SECTION 4.Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 5.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.