BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 654

By: West

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that prosecuting animal control and water conservation ordinance violations by bringing a criminal action against the violator drains time and resources in the form of personnel who must be pulled from active field service to provide testimony and other litigation support and that many cases are dismissed based on the legal technicalities associated with criminal prosecution. S.B. 654 seeks to enable municipalities to enforce these types of ordinances more cost-effectively and with greater success and to increase citizen compliance.

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

S.B. 654 amends the Local Government Code to expand the ordinances for which a municipality is authorized to bring a civil action for enforcement of the ordinance to include ordinances relating to animal care or control and to water conservation measures, including watering restrictions. The bill expands the list of health and safety ordinances subject to quasi-judicial enforcement to include ordinances relating to animal care or control or to water conservation measures, including watering restrictions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.