By Lindsay                                             S.B. No. 289
         76R4026 CAG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to voter approval of annexations proposed by certain
 1-3     municipalities.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 43, Local Government Code,
 1-6     is amended by adding Section 43.0215 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 43.0215.  VOTER APPROVAL OF ANNEXATION REQUIRED.
 1-8     (a)  This section applies only to a municipality with a population
 1-9     of 1.5 million or more.
1-10           (b)  The municipality may not annex an area for full or
1-11     limited purposes unless:
1-12                 (1)  the municipality holds an election on the question
1-13     of annexation in the area to be annexed, at which the qualified
1-14     voters of the area may vote; and
1-15                 (2)  a majority of the votes received in the election
1-16     approve the annexation.
1-17           (c)  If a majority of votes received in the election
1-18     disapproves the annexation, the municipality may not annex any
1-19     portion of the area before the 10th anniversary of the date of the
1-20     election.
1-21           (d)  This section does not apply to an annexation of an area
1-22     if:
1-23                 (1)  no qualified voters reside in the area; or
1-24                 (2)  the annexation is authorized by or subject to
 2-1     another section of this chapter, other than Section 43.021.
 2-2           (e)  The municipality shall mail notice of the date of the
 2-3     election and the area proposed to be annexed to all registered
 2-4     voters in the proposed area.
 2-5           (f)  The municipality shall pay the cost of holding the
 2-6     election and mailing notice of the election to registered voters.
 2-7           SECTION 2.    The change in law made by this Act by the
 2-8     addition of Section 43.0215, Local Government Code, applies to an
 2-9     annexation pending on or initiated on or after the effective date
2-10     of this Act.
2-11           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-12           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.