By Giddings H.B. No. 1891
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the enforcement of certain health and safety statutes
1-3 and ordinances by municipalities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 342.006, Health and Safety Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 342.006. WORK OR IMPROVEMENTS BY MUNICIPALITY; NOTICE.
1-8 (a) If the owner of property in the municipality does not comply
1-9 with a municipal ordinance or requirement under this chapter within
1-10 seven [10] days of notice of a violation, the municipality may:
1-11 (1) do the work or make the improvements required; and
1-12 (2) pay for the work done or improvements made and
1-13 charge the expenses to the owner of the property.
1-14 (b) The notice must be given:
1-15 (1) personally to the owner in writing;
1-16 (2) by letter addressed to the owner at the owner's
1-17 post office address; or
1-18 (3) if personal service cannot be obtained or the
1-19 owner's post office address is unknown:
1-20 (A) by publication at least twice within 10
1-21 consecutive days;
2-1 (B) by posting the notice on or near the front
2-2 door of each building on the property to which the violation
2-3 relates; or
2-4 (C) by posting the notice on a placard attached
2-5 to a stake driven into the ground on the property to which the
2-6 violation relates[, if the property contains no buildings].
2-7 (c) In [The municipality in] the notice of a violation that
2-8 is personally delivered or sent [may inform the owner] by certified
2-9 mail, return receipt requested, a municipality may inform the owner
2-10 that if the owner commits another violation of the same kind or
2-11 nature that poses a danger to the public health and safety on or
2-12 before the first anniversary of the date of the notice, the
2-13 municipality without further notice may correct the violation at
2-14 the owner's expense and assess the expense against the property.
2-15 If a violation covered by a notice under this subsection occurs
2-16 within the one-year period, and the municipality has not been
2-17 informed in writing by the owner of an ownership change, then the
2-18 municipality without notice may take any action permitted by
2-19 Subsections (a)(1) and (2) and assess its expenses as provided by
2-20 Section 342.007.
2-21 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Local Government Code,
2-22 is amended by adding Section 54.0045 to read as follows:
2-23 Sec. 54.0045. NOTICE FOR VIOLATIONS OF CERTAIN HEALTH AND
2-24 SAFETY ORDINANCES. (a) In enforcing an ordinance that requires a
2-25 municipality to give notice to a property owner, lienholder, or
3-1 mortgagee, a municipality must exercise due diligence to determine
3-2 the identity and address of the owner, lienholder, or mortgagee.
3-3 (b) A municipality exercises due diligence in determining
3-4 the identity and address of an owner, lienholder, or mortgagee when
3-5 it searches the following records:
3-6 (1) county real property records of the county in
3-7 which the property is located;
3-8 (2) appraisal district records of the appraisal
3-9 district in which the property is located;
3-10 (3) records of the secretary of state;
3-11 (4) assumed name records of the county in which the
3-12 property is located;
3-13 (5) tax records of the municipality; and
3-14 (6) utility records of the municipality.
3-15 (c) When a municipality mails a notice in accordance with
3-16 applicable law to a property owner, lienholder, or mortgagee of a
3-17 violation of an ordinance described by Section 54.032 or of a
3-18 related hearing or order, and the United States Postal Service
3-19 returns the notice as "refused" or "unclaimed," the validity of the
3-20 notice is not affected, and the notice is considered as delivered.
3-21 SECTION 3. Sections 54.035(a) and (b), Local Government
3-22 Code, are amended to read as follows:
3-23 (a) Notice of all proceedings before the commission panels
3-24 must be given:
3-25 (1) by personal delivery or by certified mail, return
4-1 receipt requested, to the record owners of the affected property,
4-2 and each holder of a recorded lien against the affected property,
4-3 as shown by the records in the office of the county clerk of the
4-4 county in which the affected property is located if the address of
4-5 the lienholder can be ascertained from the deed of trust
4-6 establishing the lien and/or other applicable instruments on file
4-7 in the office of the county clerk; and
4-8 (2) to all unknown owners, by posting a copy of the
4-9 notice on the front door of each improvement situated on the
4-10 affected property or as close to the front door as practicable.
4-11 (b) The notice shall be personally delivered or mailed and
4-12 posted on or before the 10th day before the date of the hearing
4-13 before the commission panel and must state the date, time, and
4-14 place of the hearing. In addition, the notice must be published in
4-15 a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality on one
4-16 occasion on or before the 10th day before the date fixed for the
4-17 hearing.
4-18 SECTION 4. Section 54.039(a), Local Government Code, is
4-19 amended to read as follows:
4-20 (a) Any owner, lienholder, or mortgagee of record jointly or
4-21 severally aggrieved by any decision of a commission panel may
4-22 present a petition to a district court, duly verified, setting
4-23 forth that the decision is illegal, in whole or in part, and
4-24 specifying the grounds of the illegality. The petition must be
4-25 presented to the court within 30 calendar days after the date a
5-1 copy of the final decision of the commission panel is personally
5-2 delivered or mailed by first class mail, certified return receipt
5-3 requested, to all persons to whom notice is required to be sent
5-4 under Section 54.035. The commission panel shall mail that copy
5-5 promptly after the decision becomes final. In addition, an
5-6 abbreviated copy of the order shall be published one time in a
5-7 newspaper of general circulation in the municipality within 10
5-8 calendar days after the date of the mailing of the copy as provided
5-9 by this subsection, including the street address or legal
5-10 description of the property; the date of the hearing, a brief
5-11 statement indicating the results of the order, and instructions
5-12 stating where a complete copy of the order may be obtained, and a
5-13 copy shall be filed in the office of the municipal secretary or
5-14 clerk.
5-15 SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 54, Local Government Code,
5-16 is amended by adding Section 54.044 to read as follows:
5-17 Sec. 54.044. ALTERNATIVE HEARING PROCEDURES. (a) As an
5-18 alternative to the enforcement processes described by this
5-19 subchapter, a municipality by ordinance may adopt a procedure for
5-20 an administrative adjudication hearing under which an
5-21 administrative penalty may be imposed for the enforcement of an
5-22 ordinance described by Section 54.032.
5-23 (b) A procedure adopted under this section must entitle the
5-24 person charged with violating an ordinance to a hearing and must
5-25 provide for:
6-1 (1) the period during which a hearing shall be held;
6-2 (2) the appointment of a hearing officer with
6-3 authority to administer oaths and issue orders compelling the
6-4 attendance of witnesses and the production of documents; and
6-5 (3) the amount and disposition of administrative
6-6 penalties, costs, and fees.
6-7 (c) A municipal court may enforce an order of a hearing
6-8 officer compelling the attendance of a witness or the production of
6-9 a document.
6-10 (d) A citation or summons issued as part of a procedure
6-11 adopted under this section must:
6-12 (1) notify the person charged with violating the
6-13 ordinance that the person has the right to a hearing; and
6-14 (2) provide information as to the time and place of
6-15 the hearing.
6-16 (e) The original or a copy of the summons or citation shall
6-17 be kept as a record in the ordinary course of business of the
6-18 municipality and is rebuttable proof of the facts it states.
6-19 (f) The person who issued the citation or summons is not
6-20 required to attend a hearing under this section.
6-21 (g) A person charged with violating an ordinance who fails
6-22 to appear at a hearing authorized under this section is considered
6-23 to admit liability for the violation charged.
6-24 (h) At a hearing under this section, the hearing officer
6-25 shall issue an order stating:
7-1 (1) whether the person charged with violating an
7-2 ordinance is liable for the violation; and
7-3 (2) the amount of a penalty, cost, or fee assessed
7-4 against the person.
7-5 (i) An order issued under this section may be filed with the
7-6 clerk or secretary of the municipality. The clerk or secretary
7-7 shall keep the order in a separate index and file. The order may
7-8 be recorded using microfilm, microfiche, or data processing
7-9 techniques.
7-10 (j) An order issued under this section against a person
7-11 charged with an ordinance violation may be enforced by:
7-12 (1) filing a civil suit for the collection of a
7-13 penalty assessed against the person; and
7-14 (2) obtaining an injunction that:
7-15 (A) prohibits specific conduct that violates the
7-16 ordinance; or
7-17 (B) requires specific conduct necessary for
7-18 compliance with the ordinance.
7-19 (k) A person who is found by a hearing officer to have
7-20 violated an ordinance may appeal the determination by filing a
7-21 petition in municipal court before the 31st day after the date the
7-22 hearing officer's determination is filed. An appeal does not stay
7-23 enforcement and collection of the judgment unless the person,
7-24 before filing the appeal, posts a bond with an agency designated
7-25 for that purpose by the municipality.
8-1 SECTION 6. Sections 214.001(d), (g), and (p), Local
8-2 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
8-3 (d) After the public hearing, if a building is found in
8-4 violation of standards set out in the ordinance, the municipality
8-5 may order that the building be vacated, secured, repaired, removed,
8-6 or demolished by the owner within a reasonable time as provided by
8-7 this section. The municipality also may order that the occupants
8-8 be relocated within a reasonable time. If the owner does not take
8-9 the ordered action within the allotted time, the municipality shall
8-10 make a diligent effort to discover each mortgagee and lienholder
8-11 having an interest in the building or in the property on which the
8-12 building is located. The municipality shall personally deliver or
8-13 send by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each
8-14 identified mortgagee and lienholder a notice containing:
8-15 (1) an identification, which is not required to be a
8-16 legal description, of the building and the property on which it is
8-17 located;
8-18 (2) a description of the violation of municipal
8-19 standards that is present at the building; and
8-20 (3) a statement that the municipality will vacate,
8-21 secure, remove, or demolish the building or relocate the occupants
8-22 of the building if the ordered action is not taken within a
8-23 reasonable time.
8-24 (g) After the hearing, the municipality shall promptly mail
8-25 by certified mail, return receipt requested, or personally
9-1 deliver a copy of the order to the owner of the building and to any
9-2 lienholder or mortgagee of the building. The municipality shall
9-3 use its best efforts to determine the identity and address of any
9-4 owner, lienholder, or mortgagee of the building. If a notice is
9-5 mailed according to this subsection and the United States Postal
9-6 Service returns the notice as "refused" or "unclaimed," the
9-7 validity of the notice is not affected, and the notice shall be
9-8 deemed as delivered.
9-9 (p) A hearing under this section may be held by a civil
9-10 municipal court, an administrative hearing officer, or a panel of
9-11 not more than 12 members appointed by the governing body of the
9-12 municipality.
9-13 SECTION 7. Section 214.0012(a), Local Government Code, is
9-14 amended to read as follows:
9-15 (a) Any owner, lienholder, or mortgagee of record of
9-16 property jointly or severally aggrieved by an order of a
9-17 municipality issued under Section 214.001 may file in district
9-18 court a verified petition setting forth that the decision is
9-19 illegal, in whole or in part, and specifying the grounds of the
9-20 illegality. The petition must be filed by an owner, lienholder, or
9-21 mortgagee within 30 calendar days after the respective dates a copy
9-22 of the final decision of the municipality is personally delivered
9-23 or mailed to them by first class mail, certified return receipt
9-24 requested, or such decision shall become final as to each of them
9-25 upon the expiration of each such 30 calendar day period.
10-1 SECTION 8. Section 683.071, Transportation Code, is amended
10-2 to read as follows:
10-3 Sec. 683.071. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "junked
10-4 vehicle" means a vehicle that is self-propelled and inoperable and:
10-5 (1) does not have lawfully attached to it:
10-6 (A) an unexpired license plate; or
10-7 (B) a valid motor vehicle inspection
10-8 certificate;
10-9 (2) is wrecked, dismantled or partially dismantled, or
10-10 discarded; or
10-11 (3) has remained inoperable for more than 21 [45]
10-12 consecutive days.
10-13 SECTION 9. Section 683.075, Transportation Code, is amended
10-14 to read as follows:
10-15 Sec. 683.075. NOTICE. (a) The procedures for the abatement
10-16 and removal of a public nuisance under this subchapter must provide
10-17 not less than seven [10] days' notice of the nature of the
10-18 nuisance. The notice [and] must be personally delivered or sent by
10-19 certified mail with a five-day return requested to:
10-20 (1) the last known registered owner of the nuisance;
10-21 (2) each lienholder of record of the nuisance; and
10-22 (3) the owner or occupant of:
10-23 (A) the property on which the nuisance is
10-24 located; or
10-25 (B) if the nuisance is located on a public
11-1 right-of-way, the property adjacent to the right-of-way.
11-2 (b) The notice must state that:
11-3 (1) the nuisance must be abated and removed not later
11-4 than the seventh [10th] day after the date on which the notice was
11-5 personally delivered or mailed; and
11-6 (2) any request for a hearing must be made before that
11-7 seven-day [10-day] period expires.
11-8 (c) If the post office address of the last known registered
11-9 owner of the nuisance is unknown or if the owner cannot be located,
11-10 notice may be placed on the nuisance [or, if the owner is located,
11-11 hand delivered].
11-12 (d) If notice is returned undelivered, action to abate the
11-13 nuisance shall be continued to a date not earlier than the eighth
11-14 [11th] day after the date of the return.
11-15 SECTION 10. (a) The changes in law made by this Act
11-16 relating to a notice of a violation of a municipal ordinance or
11-17 statute apply only to a notice that is given on or after the
11-18 effective date of this Act. A notice that is given before the
11-19 effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
11-20 immediately before the effective date, and that law is continued in
11-21 effect for that purpose.
11-22 (b) The change in law made by this Act by the amendment of
11-23 Section 683.071, Transportation Code, relating to the time period
11-24 for determining whether an inoperable vehicle is a junked vehicle,
11-25 applies only to a vehicle identified by a municipality on or after
12-1 the effective date of this Act. An inoperable vehicle identified
12-2 by a municipality before the effective date of this Act is subject
12-3 to the time period in effect before the effective date, and that
12-4 law is continued in effect for that purpose.
12-5 SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
12-6 SECTION 12. The importance of this legislation and the
12-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
12-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
12-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
12-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.