By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1823 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 approval of the creation and acts of Hays County 1-3 Development District No. 1 and its administration, powers, duties, 1-4 operation, financing and acquisition of its project. 1-5 BE ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. (a) The Legislature finds 1-7 that the creation of Hays County Development District No. 1 (the 1-8 "District") and the project approved by the Hays County 1-9 Commissioners Court on January 11, 2000 (the "Project") will serve 1-10 the public purpose of attracting visitors and tourists to Hays 1-11 County, and will result in employment and economic activity in the 1-12 manner contemplated by Article III, Section 52-a of Texas 1-13 Constitution and Chapter 383, Local Government Code. 1-14 (b) The Legislature further finds that economic development 1-15 is an essential function and purpose of the District. 1-16 (c) The Legislature further finds that the creation of the 1-17 District and the acquisition or financing of the Project by the 1-18 District serves the purpose of Article XVI, Section 59 and Article 1-19 III, Section 52 of the Texas Constitution, and all steps necessary 1-20 to create the District have been taken. 1-21 SECTION 2. APPROVAL OF CREATION. The creation of Hays 1-22 County Development District No.1 by the Hays County Commissioners 1-23 Court on January 11, 2000 and all actions heretofore taken with 2-1 regard to the District are hereby approved. 2-2 SECTION 3. FINDINGS RELATED TO BOUNDARIES. The District's 2-3 boundaries are those as found by the Hays County Commissioners 2-4 Court's Order Upon Hearing Granting Petition Requesting the 2-5 Creation of Hays County Development District No. 1 and Appointing 2-6 Temporary Directors dated January 11, 2000. The Legislature finds 2-7 that these boundaries form a closure. A mistake in field notes or 2-8 copying the field notes in the legislative process does not affect 2-9 the organization, existence, or validity of the District, the right 2-10 of the district to levy and collect taxes, or the legality or 2-11 operation of the district or its governing body. 2-12 SECTION 4. FINDING OF BENEFIT. All of the land and other 2-13 projects included within the boundaries of the District will be 2-14 benefitted by the works and projects that are to be accomplished by 2-15 the District pursuant to the powers conferred by Article III, 2-16 Section 52-a, Article III, Section 52 and Article XVI, Section 59 2-17 of the Texas Constitution. The District serves a public use and 2-18 benefit. 2-19 SECTION 5. POWERS. The District has all of the rights, 2-20 powers, privileges, authority, functions, and duties provided by 2-21 Chapters 375 and 383, Local Government Code, as amended, to County 2-22 Development Districts and Municipal Management Districts, including 2-23 but not limited to: 2-24 (1) The authority to levy, assess and collect ad 2-25 valorem taxes for the purposes approved at the elections conducted 2-26 on November 7, 2000. 3-1 (2) The authority, after approval by voters at an 3-2 election conducted within the boundaries of the District, to levy, 3-3 assess and collect taxes for maintenance and operating purposes in 3-4 the manner set forth in Section 49.107(a)-(e), Water Code, as 3-5 amended, and for the repayment of bonds, notes, warrants, lease 3-6 purchase agreements, certificates of assessment, certificates of 3-7 participation in lease purchase agreements, and other 3-8 interest-bearing obligations in the manner set forth in Section 3-9 49.106(a) - (d), Water Code, as amended, for all of the purposes 3-10 for which the District may expend funds. 3-11 (3) To establish, levy and collect special assessments 3-12 in the manner specified in Sections 375.111 through 375.124, Local 3-13 Government Code, as amended; provided, however, that Sections 3-14 375.161 through 375.163, Local Government Code, as amended, shall 3-15 not apply to the assessments imposed by the District; 3-16 (4) To utilize funds whether the funds are derived 3-17 from ad valorem taxes, sales and use taxes, hotel occupancy tax, 3-18 revenues from the Project or any other source, for payment of 3-19 projects or services in the manner authorized by Section 375.181, 3-20 Local Government Code as amended and Chapter 383, Local Government 3-21 Code as amended; 3-22 (5) To enter into obligations, including, but not 3-23 limited to, lease purchase agreements, certificates of 3-24 participation in lease purchase agreements, general obligation 3-25 bonds and notes and revenue bonds and notes, and combination 3-26 general obligation and revenue bonds and notes and other 4-1 interest-bearing obligations in the manner specified in Sections 4-2 375.201 through 375.204, Local Government Code, as amended. To 4-3 enter into these obligations, the District shall obtain only those 4-4 approvals required for the issuance of obligations by Hays County 4-5 by Chapter 53, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Second Called Session, 4-6 1987. 4-7 (6) To adopt the powers of a road district under 4-8 Article III, Section 52(b)(3), Texas Constitution in the manner 4-9 specified in Section 53.029(c) and (d), Water Code, as amended; 4-10 (7) To levy, assess and collect ad valorem taxes to 4-11 make payments on a contract under Section 49.108(a) through (d), 4-12 Water Code, as amended, after obtaining those approvals specified 4-13 in Section 1 of Chapter 778, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular 4-14 Session, 1995. 4-15 (8) To exercise all of the rights, powers and 4-16 authority of a road district, a municipal management district, and 4-17 a water control and improvement district which are not specifically 4-18 contradicted by Chapter 383, Local Government Code, as amended; 4-19 (9) To exercise all of the rights, powers and 4-20 authority granted to the District by this Act, and all of rights, 4-21 powers and authority granted to the District by Chapter 383 and 4-22 375, Local Government Code, which are not contrary to any 4-23 provisions of this Act, to finance, construct or otherwise acquire 4-24 the Project or any element of the Project identified in the 4-25 Commissioner Court Order Upon Hearing Granting Petition Requesting 4-26 the Creation of Hays County Development District No. 1 and 5-1 Appointing Temporary Directors dated January 11, 2000, including, 5-2 but not limited to the hotel, the golf course, the water, sewer, 5-3 drainage and road improvements, the organizational costs and costs 5-4 of issuance of the obligations of the District. 5-5 SECTION 6. LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION. This Act shall be 5-6 liberally construed in conformity with the legislative findings and 5-7 purposes set forth therein. This Act prevails over any provisions 5-8 of general law that is in conflict or inconsistent with this Act. 5-9 SECTION 7. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. The District shall 5-10 continue to operate as a County Development District and, subject 5-11 to the provisions hereinafter set forth, comply with Subchapter C, 5-12 Chapter 383, Government Code: 5-13 (a) Each director who takes office after the effective date 5-14 of this Act shall own land within the boundaries of the District; 5-15 (b) A vacancy in the office of director shall be filled by 5-16 appointment by the remaining members of the board of directors; 5-17 (c) The Board of Directors may designate and establish one 5-18 or more district offices outside Hays County; 5-19 (d) The Board of Directors may, at any time, on its own 5-20 motion and shall, if presented with a petition bearing the 5-21 signatures of a majority of the registered voters of the district 5-22 gathered within a 30-day time period, call an election to determine 5-23 whether the Board of Directors of the District will be selected by 5-24 popular election, rather than being selected by appointment by the 5-25 Commissioners Court. 5-26 The order calling the election under this Section must state: 6-1 (i) the nature of the election, including the 6-2 proposition that is to appear on the ballot; 6-3 (ii) the date of the election; 6-4 (iii) the hours during which the polls will be 6-5 open; 6-6 (iv) the location of the poling places; and 6-7 (v) any other information necessary or 6-8 appropriate to comply with the Election Code, as amended. 6-9 Notice of the election shall be given by publishing a 6-10 substantial copy of the election order once a week for two (2) 6-11 consecutive weeks in a newspaper with general circulation in Hays 6-12 County. The first publication must appear no later than the 14th 6-13 day before the date set for the election. 6-14 The election shall be held in accordance with the 6-15 provision of the Election Code, to the extent not inconsistent with 6-16 this chapter. 6-17 The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or 6-18 against the proposition: "The selection of directors of Hays County 6-19 Development District No. 1 by popular election." 6-20 After the election, the presiding judge shall make 6-21 returns of the result to the Board of Directors. The Board of 6-22 Directors shall canvass the returns and canvass the results. 6-23 If a majority of the votes cast in the election favor 6-24 the selection of directors by popular election, then the Board of 6-25 Directors shall declare the result and enter it into its minutes. 6-26 Thereafter, the Board of Directors shall take all steps necessary 7-1 to conduct an election on the uniform election date next preceding 7-2 the September 1 date on which an appointed director's term of 7-3 office expires. Each appointed director shall serve until his 7-4 successor is elected and duly qualifies. The term of office of 7-5 each elected director shall be four (4) years. The election of 7-6 directors shall be conducted in the manner authorized by the 7-7 Election Code. 7-8 If a majority of the votes cast in the election are 7-9 against the selection of directors by popular election, the Board 7-10 of Directors shall declare the result and enter it into its 7-11 minutes. Thereafter, the directors shall continue to be selected 7-12 by appointment by the commissioners court. 7-13 Elections to determine the manner of selection of 7-14 directors under this Section shall occur no more often than once 7-15 every 24 months. 7-16 A certified copy of the minute order declaring the 7-17 results of the election shall be sent to the commissioners court. 7-18 SECTION 8. The Legislature finds that the principal function 7-19 of the District is to provide for development and operation of the 7-20 Project to facilitate economic development and to attract visitors 7-21 and tourists which result in employment and economic activity in 7-22 Hays County. The Legislature finds that the District may provide 7-23 water and sewer, drainage and reclamation services to residential 7-24 retail or commercial customers. The District is a district 7-25 described in Section 49.181(h)(4), Water Code, as amended. 7-26 SECTION 9. ADDITION AND EXCLUSION OF LANDS 8-1 In addition to the authority granted to the District by 8-2 Section 383.084, Local Government Code, the District may add lands 8-3 in the manner provided by Section 49.301, Water Code, as amended, 8-4 and may exclude lands in the methods provided by Sections 49.303 8-5 through 49.308, Water Code, as amended. 8-6 SECTION 10. DISSOLUTION OF DISTRICT BY PETITION OF TAXPAYERS 8-7 In addition to the method of dissolution of the District set 8-8 forth in Sections 383.122 and 383.123, Local Government Code, as 8-9 amended, the District may be dissolved in the following manner: 8-10 (a) A Petition for Dissolution, duly executed by the 8-11 owners of taxable property equal to at least 60% of the appraised 8-12 value of property within the boundaries of the District which is 8-13 subject to ad valorem taxation by the District on the January 1 8-14 next preceding the date of the Petition for Dissolution, may be 8-15 filed with the Board of Directors, if all of the interest-bearing 8-16 obligations of the District have been paid. 8-17 (b) If a majority of the Board of Directors determines 8-18 that the Petition for Dissolution is in the form specified by this 8-19 Section 10 and that all of the interest-bearing obligations of the 8-20 District have been paid, then the Board of Directors shall enter an 8-21 order dissolving the District and execute instruments transferring 8-22 assets of the District to the owners of the property subject to ad 8-23 valorem taxation by the District on the January 1 next preceding 8-24 the date of the Petition for Dissolution. If the Board of 8-25 Directors fails to make the determination necessary to enter the 8-26 order dissolving the District, it shall dismiss the Petition for 9-1 Dissolution and set forth its reasons in writing in the dismissal 9-2 order. 9-3 (c) An order entered pursuant to Section 10(b) of this 9-4 Act may be challenged only in a state district court proceeding 9-5 filed by owners of property subject to ad valorem taxation by the 9-6 District. The proceeding shall be filed in the county in which the 9-7 District is located, not later than the 10th day after the date of 9-8 the order. If such a proceeding is not filed within the time 9-9 specified herein, the order becomes final and may not thereafter be 9-10 challenged, and each finding in the order becomes incontestable. 9-11 The order can be overturned only if the state district court finds 9-12 that the entry of the order constituted an abuse of discretion by 9-13 the Board of Directors. 9-14 SECTION 11. FINDINGS RELATING TO PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS. 9-15 The Legislature finds: 9-16 (a) The proper and legal notice of the intention to 9-17 introduce this Act, setting for the general substance of this Act, 9-18 has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a copy of 9-19 this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies, officials, 9-20 or entities to which they are required to be furnished by the 9-21 constitution and other laws of this state, including the governor, 9-22 who has submitted the notice and the Act to the Texas Natural 9-23 Resource Conservation Commission. 9-24 (b) The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission has 9-25 filed its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, 9-26 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives 10-1 within the required time. 10-2 (c) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this 10-3 state and rules and procedures of the legislature with respect to 10-4 the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled and 10-5 accomplished. 10-6 SECTION 12. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect 10-7 immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members 10-8 elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, 10-9 Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote 10-10 necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect August 28, 10-11 2001. 10-12 Section 13. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 10-13 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 10-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 10-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 10-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.