BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1312
80R9391 HLT-F By: Bonnen (Janek)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, port authorities do not have the power to prevent the annexation of land by a city or municipality. Therefore, cities and municipalities are able to use their land use powers to control and restrict development of ports. In Brazoria County, the port is a primary driver of job creation and, therefore, city control over land threatens the creation of desperately needed new jobs in the area.
H.B. 1312 requires a municipality with a population of less than 30,000 that borders the Gulf of Mexico and that seeks to annex land owned by a navigation district to have the consent of the navigation district to annex the land.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 43, Local Government Code, by adding Section 43.082, as follows:
Sec. 43.082. ANNEXATION BY CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES OF LAND OWNED BY NAVIGATION DISTRICT. Requires a municipality with a population of less than 30,000 that borders the Gulf of Mexico and that seeks to annex land owned by a navigation district operating under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, to have the consent of the navigation district to annex the land.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.