BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3006

By: Coleman

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In 1991, Houston voters passed a proposition amending the Houston city charter to limit members of city government to three two-year terms. This term limit may not allow the mayor or members of the city council to acquire legislative or executive experience in office and may also discourage citizens, who know they will only serve for six years, at most, from running for office.

H.B. 3006 allows voters in Houston to vote on a proposition to extend term limits for the mayor and members of the city council from six years to twelve years.

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. 3006 amends the Local Government Code to add provisions that apply only to a municipality with a population of 1.8 million or more. The bill requires the mayor of such a municipality to order an election in the municipality on a specified uniform election date on the question of imposing term limits on the members of the governing body of the municipality. The bill requires the governing body to decide whether the election will authorize term limits consisting of a maximum of three four-year terms or six-two year terms. The bill sets forth the required language for the ballot proposition and provides that, if a majority of the votes received at the election favor the proposition, the number and length of terms a person may serve on the governing body is limited as provided by the proposition. The bill requires the municipality to adjust the length of the terms of the members as necessary to comply with the proposition. The bill provides that currently established term limits are not affected if less than a majority of the votes received at the election favor the proposition. The bill provides that, in applying a term limit approved at an election, a term to which a member was elected or appointed before the election is counted only if the member has served one-half or more of the term, and a partial term to which a member is elected or appointed on or after the date of the election is counted only if the member serves one-half or more of the term. The bill makes its provisions expire on January 1, 2011. The bill defines the terms "governing body of a municipality" and "municipal term limit."

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009, except as otherwise provided.