BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 629
80R2118 DRH-D By: King, Phil (Duncan)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, consolidation elections for municipalities tend to take a long time to complete due to the current requirement that the smallest municipality holds the election first, then the next largest municipality will hold an election, if passed, no sooner than 45 days from the previous municipality's affirmative passage. This process is in place to prevent larger municipalities from forcing smaller municipalities into an unwanted consolidation. However, this may be an excessive safeguard that delays the benefits of consolidation for municipalities that consent to consolidation.
H.B. 629 provides for an alternative to the consolidation election process by authorizing each individual municipality's governing body to rule in favor of having the consolidation election on the same day.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 61.004, Local Government Code, by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f), as follows:
(e) Authorizes the governing body of each municipality holding a consolidation election to order the elections to be held on the same election date as an alternative to the procedures provided in Subsections (a)-(d) (regarding the prescribed sequence of events for a consolidation election).
(f) Requires a consolidation election to be held on the first authorized uniform election date prescribed by the Election Code that occurs after the period required by Section 3.005 (Time For Ordering Election), Election Code, rather than the date that occurs on or after the 30th day after the date the election is ordered.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.