BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1250

By: Frullo

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The City of Lubbock files between 1500 and 2500 environmental (weed) liens against property owners each year who refuse to clean up their property. This action occurs after the property owners receive citations from the City of Lubbock Code Compliance Department.  The Lubbock Mayor signs each lien personally which occupies a significant amount of his time.  The mayor would like to use a facsimile signature to sign the liens.

Currently, only home-rule municipalities with a population of 1.9 million or more can use facsimile signatures for eligible contracts as outlined in Section 618.002(3) of the Government Code.

H.B.1250 amends the Government Code to allow the use of facsimile signatures by home-rule municipalities with a population of 200,000 or more, and amends Section 342.007(b) of the Health and Safety Code to allow facsimile signatures to be used on property lien statements.

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

SECTION 1.    Amends Section 618.002(3), Government Code, by changing the home-rule municipality population limit from 1.9 million to 200,000 or more.

SECTION 2.    Amends Section 342.007(b), Health and Safety Code, to allow facsimile signatures to be used on property lien statements.

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2011.