AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties report that after completing an inventory of city-owned properties, certain municipalities became aware of properties with no market value. Interested parties note that such properties may be a liability to the municipality due to the cost of upkeep and the expenses relating to the upkeep of such properties. Interested parties contend that the normal property disposition process does not work for such properties. Additionally, such parties contend that the property identified often has little or no value to a municipality because any proceeds of such a sale can be used only to acquire or improve other property with a similar use or purpose.

 

H.B. 1427 seeks to alleviate this burden by extending the power to identify and dispose of surplus property to a broader range of municipalities, which could, in some cases, increase the value of the privately owned land, give landowners access to additional real estate on which to make improvements, and return such properties to the tax rolls.

 

H.B. 1427 amends current law relating to the donation of surplus real property by certain municipalities.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 253.013(a), Local Government Code, as follows:

 

(a) Provides that this section applies only to:

 

(1)  a municipality with a population greater than 150,000 and less than 200,000 that is located in three counties; and

 

(2)  a municipality with a population greater than 65,000 and less than 90,000 that is located in a county in which part but not all of a military installation is located.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.