By Burnam                                             H.B. No. 2374
         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 bond requirements for owners of dangerous structures
 1-3     and substandard buildings.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subsection (l), Section 214.001, Local Government
 1-6     Code, is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (l)(1)  In a public hearing to determine whether a building
 1-8     complies with the standards set out in an ordinance adopted under
 1-9     this section, the owner, lienholder, or mortgagee has the burden of
1-10     proof to demonstrate the scope of any work that may be required to
1-11     comply with the ordinance and the time it will take to reasonably
1-12     perform the work.
1-13                 (2)  The municipality may require the owner,
1-14     lienholder, or mortgagee of record to post a cash or surety bond to
1-15     cover the costs for the security or repair of a building under the
1-16     provisions of this chapter to ensure that the municipality does not
1-17     incur expenses under Subsection (m) because of the failure of the
1-18     owner, lienholder, or mortgagee of record to comply with the
1-19     ordinance and perform the work in the alloted time.
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.