BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 2212

                                                                                                                                          By: Guillen

                                                                                                           Border & International Affairs

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

In counties along the border, many of today's small municipalities began as informal, unstructured settlements.  Over time, nearby settlements grew together, yet maintain distinct boundaries and separate municipal governments.  Small in population, the common plague of these towns is an insufficient tax base.  Many of these towns struggle to provide and sustain the municipal services their citizens require. 

 

H.B. 2212 authorizes nearby towns along the Texas-Mexico border to consolidate into a single municipality.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

H.B. 2212 amends the Local Governement Code to authorize two or more municipalities within the same county and within one mile of an international border to consolidate, provided the municipalities are either contiguous or if  the distance between the municipalities is less than 2.5 miles.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.