By Shapleigh S.J.R. No. 13
77R369 DRH-D
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment to create a consolidated El
1-2 Paso Metro government by consolidating El Paso County and certain
1-3 political subdivisions in El Paso County.
1-4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
1-6 adding Section 64A to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 64A. (a) The city of El Paso is consolidated into El
1-8 Paso County to form the El Paso Metro government. The effect of
1-9 the consolidation under this section is to consolidate and
1-10 integrate into the El Paso County government all of the functions
1-11 and agencies of the city of El Paso, including functions and
1-12 agencies relating to utilities and transportation and including all
1-13 entities operated or controlled by the city of El Paso.
1-14 (b) As a result of Subsection (a), the powers and duties of
1-15 the El Paso Metro government are:
1-16 (1) the cumulative powers and duties established by
1-17 constitutional or statutory provisions applying generally to
1-18 counties or specifically to El Paso County or applying generally to
1-19 municipalities or home-rule municipalities or specifically to the
1-20 city of El Paso; and
1-21 (2) any additional powers and duties granted by this
1-22 constitution or other law.
1-23 (c) On the date of the consolidation of the city of El Paso
1-24 into El Paso County, the El Paso Metro government shall assume all
2-1 the powers, duties, responsibilities, rights, privileges, assets,
2-2 obligations, and liabilities of the county and the city.
2-3 (d) This section does not diminish the powers, duties, and
2-4 functions of a municipality that is not consolidated into the El
2-5 Paso Metro government. The boundaries of a municipality that is
2-6 not consolidated into the El Paso Metro government are the
2-7 boundaries of the municipality, exclusive of the municipality's
2-8 extraterritorial jurisdiction, on the first anniversary of the date
2-9 of the consolidation of the city of El Paso into El Paso County.
2-10 (e) The governing body of the El Paso Metro government is
2-11 initially made up of:
2-12 (1) the four county commissioners of El Paso County
2-13 who are serving as county commissioners on the day before the date
2-14 of the consolidation of the city of El Paso into El Paso County;
2-15 (2) the eight members of the El Paso City Council who
2-16 are serving as members of the El Paso City Council on the day
2-17 before the date of the consolidation of the city of El Paso into El
2-18 Paso County; and
2-19 (3) a presiding officer elected at large in El Paso
2-20 County.
2-21 (f) The initial terms of the members of the governing body
2-22 of the El Paso Metro government expire on the second anniversary of
2-23 the date of the consolidation of the city of El Paso into El Paso
2-24 County.
2-25 (g) The presiding officer is elected at large in El Paso
2-26 County. The terms of the presiding officer and the other members of
2-27 the governing body of the El Paso Metro government are three years.
3-1 For constitutional and statutory purposes, the presiding officer of
3-2 the El Paso Metro government has the same authority to act as a
3-3 county judge of a county and as a mayor of a municipality.
3-4 (h) Unless the charter adopted under Subsection (j) provides
3-5 differently, after the initial terms of the members of the
3-6 governing body of the El Paso Metro government expire, the
3-7 governing body of the El Paso Metro government is composed of:
3-8 (1) eight members, each of whom resides in and is
3-9 elected from a single-member district that has been determined by
3-10 the governing body of the El Paso Metro government; and
3-11 (2) a presiding officer elected at large in El Paso
3-12 County.
3-13 (i) To stagger the terms of the members of the governing
3-14 body, the first group of members of the governing body of the El
3-15 Paso Metro government elected under Subsection (h) shall draw lots
3-16 to determine which three members shall serve one-year terms, which
3-17 three members shall serve two-year terms, and which three members
3-18 shall serve three-year terms.
3-19 (j) The governing body of the El Paso Metro government, in
3-20 the same manner as a home-rule municipality, may adopt a charter to
3-21 govern the operation of the El Paso Metro government. The charter
3-22 may specifically:
3-23 (1) provide for the title, qualifications, term of
3-24 office, powers, or duties of a member of the governing body of the
3-25 El Paso Metro government, including the presiding officer; and
3-26 (2) provide for changes in the title, qualifications,
3-27 terms of office, powers, duties, or other features of the governing
4-1 body of the El Paso Metro government.
4-2 (k) The governing body of the El Paso Metro government shall
4-3 establish distinct service districts in the area of the
4-4 consolidated county government that provide for district taxes that
4-5 are graduated by area and based on the level of services provided
4-6 to the service district by the El Paso Metro government.
4-7 (l) A charter adopted under this section may also include
4-8 provisions to:
4-9 (1) protect the employees of the consolidated
4-10 political subdivisions;
4-11 (2) coordinate the charter with the law governing
4-12 annexation;
4-13 (3) structure the governing body and the service
4-14 districts and allocate the debt service obligations of the El Paso
4-15 Metro government to ensure equity among the voters and taxpayers of
4-16 the El Paso Metro government; and
4-17 (4) consolidate other political subdivisions located
4-18 in El Paso County and their powers and duties into the El Paso
4-19 Metro government.
4-20 (m) The sheriff of El Paso County is the chief law
4-21 enforcement officer of the El Paso Metro government.
4-22 (n) The creation of single-member districts under Subsection
4-23 (h)(1) does not create precincts or increase the number of
4-24 precincts created under Section 18, Article V. The governing body
4-25 of the El Paso Metro government may divide the county into
4-26 precincts under Section 18, Article V, for any purpose other than
4-27 representation on the commissioners court of a county.
5-1 SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to the
5-2 Texas Constitution:
5-3 TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies
5-4 to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 77th Legislature,
5-5 Regular Session, 2001, to create a consolidated El Paso Metro
5-6 government by consolidatng El Paso County and certain political
5-7 subdivisions in El Paso County, and this provision expires December
5-8 1, 2003.
5-9 (b) That constitutional amendment takes effect on the 270th
5-10 day after the date on which that amendment is adopted. However,
5-11 that constitutional amendment takes effect only if, at the
5-12 statewide election at which that constitutional amendment is
5-13 submitted to the voters, a majority of the voters of El Paso County
5-14 voting on the question at that election also favor the amendment.
5-15 (c) If that constitutional amendment is adopted and will
5-16 take effect, the commissioners court of El Paso County and the
5-17 governing body of the city of El Paso shall promptly meet after the
5-18 amendment is adopted and jointly confer regarding the creation of
5-19 the El Paso Metro government. The meeting shall include planning
5-20 for the consolidation of the city and county government services
5-21 and methods for operating the services under the El Paso Metro
5-22 government. A primary consideration at the meeting is to ensure
5-23 that both the commissioners court of El Paso County and the
5-24 governing body of the city of El Paso plan for the smooth and
5-25 efficient transfer of services to the governing body of the El Paso
5-26 Metro government and that the high level of quality and quantity of
5-27 the government services, particularly services related to the
6-1 public health, safety, and welfare, are continued. Both governing
6-2 bodies may also draft for approval by the El Paso Metro government
6-3 any proposed charter to be adopted by the El Paso Metro government.
6-4 Both governing bodies may jointly appoint advisory committees to
6-5 assist the governing bodies in planning for the consolidation of
6-6 the city and county government services and methods for operating
6-7 the services under the new El Paso Metro government and in
6-8 preparing any proposed charter to be adopted by the El Paso Metro
6-9 government.
6-10 (d) On the first uniform election date after the 180th day
6-11 after the date of the election at which that constitutional
6-12 amendment is adopted, the presiding officer of the El Paso Metro
6-13 government shall be selected at an election jointly called and held
6-14 by the El Paso County commissioners court and the governing body of
6-15 the city of El Paso.
6-16 (e) On the 270th day after the date of the election at which
6-17 that constitutional amendment is adopted, the governing body of the
6-18 El Paso Metro government shall be seated, the city of El Paso is
6-19 consolidated into the government of El Paso County, and the El Paso
6-20 Metro government is formed.
6-21 SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
6-22 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2001.
6-23 The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
6-24 proposition: "The constitutional amendment to create a
6-25 consolidated El Paso Metro government by consolidating El Paso
6-26 County and certain political subdivisions in El Paso County."