By Janek                                              H.B. No. 1725
         77R6882 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the power of certain rapid transit authorities to order
 1-3     an election on certain measures.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 451.072 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 451.072.  GENERAL AUTHORITY TO ORDER ELECTION ON
 1-8     MEASURE:  CERTAIN AUTHORITIES. (a)  This section applies only to an
 1-9     authority in which the principal municipality has a population of
1-10     more than 1.2 million.
1-11           (b)  The board of an authority may order an election to
1-12     determine the voters' will on any issue that the board is
1-13     authorized to decide under this chapter or on the exercise of any
1-14     discretionary power of the board under this chapter.  At the time
1-15     the board orders the election, the board shall specify whether the
1-16     results of the election on the measure are binding on the
1-17     authority.
1-18           (c)  On receipt of a petition signed by a number of
1-19     registered voters of the authority equal to at least two percent of
1-20     the total number of votes cast in the authority in the most recent
1-21     gubernatorial general election, the authority shall order an
1-22     election on an issue the board is authorized to decide under this
1-23     chapter or on the exercise of any discretionary power of the board
1-24     under this chapter.  The petition must:
 2-1                 (1)  provide a statement containing the issue or power
 2-2     of the board that is to be determined at an election; and
 2-3                 (2)  state whether the results of the election on the
 2-4     measure are binding on the authority.
 2-5           (d)  A signature on a petition submitted under Subsection (c)
 2-6     is invalid if the signer signed the petition earlier than the 90th
 2-7     day before the date the petition is filed.
 2-8           (e)  The form of the ballot proposition is governed by the
 2-9     applicable provisions of the Election Code.
2-10           (f)  A measure submitted under this section is approved if a
2-11     majority of the votes received at the election favor the ballot
2-12     proposition stating the measure.
2-13           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.