BILL ANALYSIS
By: King, Phil
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently it is a very lengthy and drawn out process for municipalities to hold a consolidation election. The smallest municipality holds the election first, and if passed the next largest municipality holds the election no sooner than 45 days from the previous municipality’s affirmative passage. This process is in place to prevent the larger municipalities from forcing smaller municipalities into a consolidation they don’t want. For consolidations that involve several consenting municipalities this can take a long time and can delay the benefits of the consolidation for these municipalities. In order to save municipalities' valuable time and to allow the consolidation process to move along quickly, H.B. 629 would create an alternative option to this process by allowing each individual municipality’s governing body to rule in favor of having the consolidation election on the same day.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 629 amends the Local Government Code by allowing the governing bodies of municipalities to hold an election on the same date if those municipalities are voting on a consolidation issue. In accordance with the Election Code, the bill requires the consolidation election to be ordered 62 days or more before the election is held, unless the election is to be held on the same date as a general election for county and state officials, in which case the election shall be ordered 70 days or more before the election date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.