By:  Madla                                                        S.B. No. 905

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to reimbursement for land removed from emergency service districts and dispute resolution relating to the amount of reimbursement. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 775.022, Health and Safety Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: (b) The disannexation of territory under this section does not diminish or impair the rights of the holders of any outstanding and unpaid bonds, warrants, or other obligations of the district including loans and lease-purchase agreements. (c) If a municipality annexes a portion of a district, the municipality shall compensate the district in an amount equal to the annexed territory's pro rata share of the district's bonded and other indebtedness as computed according to the formula in Subsection (e) [based on the unpaid principal balances and the actual property values at the time the territory is annexed]. The district shall apply compensation received from a municipality under this subsection exclusively to the payment of the annexed territory's pro rata share of the district's bonded and other indebtedness. (e) The amount of compensation under Subsection (c) shall be determined by multiplying the district's total indebtedness at the time of the annexation by a fraction the numerator of which is the assessed value of the property to be annexed based on the most recent certified county property tax rolls at the time of annexation and the denominator of which is the total assessed value of the property of the district based on the most recent certified county property tax rolls at the time of annexation. (f) For purposes of this section, total indebtedness includes loans and lease-purchase agreements but does not include: (1) a loan or lease-purchase agreement the district enters into after the district receives notice of the municipality's intent to annex district territory; or (2) any indebtedness attributed to any real or personal property that the district requires a municipality to purchase under Subsection (d). SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 775, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 775.0221 to read as follows: Sec. 775.0221. ARBITRATION REGARDING REMOVED TERRITORY. (a) The municipality and the district shall negotiate an agreement on the amount of compensation required under Section 775.022. If the municipality and the district cannot reach an agreement, the municipality and the district shall resolve the dispute using binding arbitration. (b) A request for binding arbitration must be in writing and may not be made before the 60th day after the date the municipality receives notice from the district regarding the amount of compensation required under Section 775.022. (c) The municipality and the district must agree on the arbitrator. If the parties cannot agree on the appointment of an arbitrator before the 11th business day after the date arbitration is requested, the mayor of the municipality shall immediately request a list of seven neutral arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or their successors in function. An arbitrator included in the list must be a resident of this state and may not be a resident of a county in which any part of the municipality or any part of the district is located. The municipality and the district must agree on the appointment of an arbitrator included in the list. If the municipality and the district cannot agree on the arbitrator before the 11th business day after the date the list is provided to the parties, each party or the party's designee may alternately strike a name from the list. The remaining person on the list shall be appointed as the arbitrator. In this subsection, "business day" means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or state or national holiday. (d) The arbitrator shall: (1) set a hearing to be held not later than the 10th day after the date the arbitrator is appointed; and (2) notify the parties to the arbitration in writing of the time and place of the hearing not later than the eighth day before the date of the hearing. (e) The arbitrator may: (1) receive in evidence any documentary evidence or other information the arbitrator considers relevant; (2) administer oaths; and (3) issue subpoenas to require: (A) the attendance and testimony of witnesses; and (B) the production of books, records, and other evidence relevant to an issue presented to the arbitrator for determination. (f) Unless the parties to the dispute agree otherwise, the arbitrator shall complete the hearing within two consecutive days. The arbitrator shall permit each party one day to present evidence and other information. The arbitrator, for good cause shown, may schedule an additional hearing to be held not later than the seventh day after the date of the first hearing. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the arbitrator must issue a decision in writing and deliver a copy of the decision to the parties not later than the 14th day after the date of the final hearing. (g) The municipality and the district shall share the cost of arbitration. SECTION 3. Section 776.052, Health and Safety Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d) through (g) to read as follows: (c) If a municipality that is not in the district annexes territory that is included in a district, the governing body of the municipality shall notify the secretary of the board in writing that the annexed territory is removed [excluded] from the district's territory. (d) If a municipality removes territory from a district under Subsection (a) or (c), the municipality shall compensate the district in an amount equal to the removed territory's pro rata share of the district's bonded and other indebtedness as computed according to the formula in Subsection (e). The district shall apply compensation received from a municipality under this subsection exclusively to the payment of the removed territory's pro rata share of the district's bonded and other indebtedness. (e) The amount of compensation under Subsection (d) shall be determined by multiplying the district's total indebtedness at the time the territory is removed by a fraction the numerator of which is the assessed value of the property to be removed based on the most recent certified county property tax rolls at the time of removal and the denominator of which is the total assessed value of the property of the district based on the most recent certified county property tax rolls at the time of removal. (f) On the district's request, a municipality shall purchase from the district at fair market value any real or personal property used to provide emergency services in territory disannexed under this section. If any part of the indebtedness for which the district receives compensation under Subsection (d) was for the purchase of the real or personal property that the municipality purchases under this subsection, the fair market value of that property for the purpose of this subsection is reduced by a percentage equal to the disannexed territory's pro rata share under Subsection (d). (g) For purposes of this section, total indebtedness includes loans and lease-purchase agreements but does not include: (1) a loan or lease-purchase agreement the district enters into after the district receives notice about the municipality's intent to remove district territory; or (2) any indebtedness attributed to any real or personal property that the district requires a municipality to purchase under Subsection (f). SECTION 4. Subchapter D, Chapter 776, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 776.0521 to read as follows: Sec. 776.0521. ARBITRATION REGARDING REMOVED TERRITORY. (a) The municipality and the district shall negotiate an agreement on the amount of compensation required under Section 776.052. If the municipality and the district cannot reach an agreement, the municipality and the district shall resolve the dispute using binding arbitration. (b) A request for binding arbitration must be in writing and may not be made before the 60th day after the date the municipality receives notice from the district regarding the amount of compensation required under Section 776.052. (c) The municipality and the district must agree on the arbitrator. If the parties cannot agree on the appointment of an arbitrator before the 11th business day after the date arbitration is requested, the mayor of the municipality shall immediately request a list of seven neutral arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or their successors in function. An arbitrator included in the list must be a resident of this state and may not be a resident of a county in which any part of the municipality or any part of the district is located. The municipality and the district must agree on the appointment of an arbitrator included in the list. If the municipality and the district cannot agree on the arbitrator before the 11th business day after the date the list is provided to the parties, each party or the party's designee may alternately strike a name from the list. The remaining person on the list shall be appointed as the arbitrator. In this subsection, "business day" means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or state or national holiday. (d) The arbitrator shall: (1) set a hearing to be held not later than the 10th day after the date the arbitrator is appointed; and (2) notify the parties to the arbitration in writing of the time and place of the hearing not later than the eighth day before the date of the hearing. (e) The arbitrator may: (1) receive in evidence any documentary evidence or other information the arbitrator considers relevant; (2) administer oaths; and (3) issue subpoenas to require: (A) the attendance and testimony of witnesses; and (B) the production of books, records, and other evidence relevant to an issue presented to the arbitrator for determination. (f) Unless the parties to the dispute agree otherwise, the arbitrator shall complete the hearing within two consecutive days. The arbitrator shall permit each party one day to present evidence and other information. The arbitrator, for good cause shown, may schedule an additional hearing to be held not later than the seventh day after the date of the first hearing. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the arbitrator must issue a decision in writing and deliver a copy of the decision to the parties not later than the 14th day after the date of the final hearing. (g) The municipality and the district shall share the cost of arbitration. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and applies only to removal of territory of an emergency services district on or after that date.