BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3132

By: Gallego

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, Presidio County, which spans 3,856 square miles, has extremely limited ambulance service throughout the whole of its territory due to budget constraints. The predominance of the county's territory is rugged, rough West Texas rangeland and mountainous terrain. At this time, access to emergency care for many of its citizens is restricted due to the limited resources available.

H.B. 3132 creates the Presidio County Emergency Services District in order to fund ambulance service and emergency care within the county, and provides Presidio County with another tool to financially sustain adequate, consistent, and efficient emergency care to all citizens within its boundaries.

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. 3132 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to create the Presidio County Emergency Services District, and specifies that the boundaries of the district are coextensive with the boundaries of Presidio County.  The bill sets forth the nature of the district, the applicability of certain provisions of the Health and Safety Code relating to emergency services in counties of 125,000 or less to the district, and the provisions relating to dissolution of the district if it is not confirmed at a confirmation election. 

H.B. 3132 sets forth temporary provisions relating to an election to confirm the creation of the district, requirements for obtaining the consent of a municipality to include territory in the municipality's limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction, provisions relating to the appointment of initial temporary emergency commissioners by the commissioners court, the powers and duties of the emergency board, and sets an expiration date of September 1, 2014 for the temporary provisions. 

H.B. 3132 authorizes the district to impose a maintenance tax assessed on the valuation of property for payment of expenses, and to impose a sales tax, and sets out the requirements of the imposition of the taxes.  The bill authorizes the district to issue bonds and notes, including bond anticipation notes to perform any of its powers.  The bill sets out the powers and duties of the five-member board appointed by the commissioners court, and the powers and nature of the district.  The bill defines "board," "county," and "district."

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.