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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to municipal fees in certain populous municipalities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 4, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 109 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 109. MUNICIPAL FEES IN POPULOUS MUNICIPALITIES |
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Sec. 109.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "municipal fee" |
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means any fee, charge, assessment, or similar payment required by a |
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municipality for a municipal service, authorization, permit, |
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license, registration, certification, filing, or similar municipal |
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action or approval. |
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Sec. 109.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to |
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a municipality with a population of 1.9 million or more. |
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Sec. 109.003. REAUTHORIZATION OF FEES. A municipal fee is |
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abolished on the second anniversary of the date the fee is adopted |
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or most recently reauthorized under this section unless the |
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governing body of the municipality: |
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(1) holds a public hearing on the reauthorization of |
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the fee; and |
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(2) reauthorizes the fee by a majority vote of the |
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governing body before that date. |
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Sec. 109.004. INCREASING FEES. A municipality may not |
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increase the amount of a municipal fee unless the governing body of |
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the municipality holds a public hearing on the increase and adopts |
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the increase by a majority vote of the governing body. |
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Sec. 109.005. ANNUAL MUNICIPAL FEE REPORT. (a) A |
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municipality shall annually prepare and publish a municipal fee |
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report that lists each municipal fee by name and states: |
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(1) the cost of each fee; |
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(2) the purpose of each fee; |
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(3) the revenue collected from each fee during the |
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preceding fiscal year; |
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(4) the expiration date of each fee if the fee is not |
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reauthorized; and |
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(5) the revenue collected from all fees during the |
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preceding fiscal year. |
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(b) The governing body of the municipality shall take action |
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to ensure that the municipal fee report: |
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(1) is made available for inspection at the city hall |
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by any person; |
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(2) is posted continuously on the municipality's |
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Internet website; and |
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(3) is mailed to each member of the legislature whose |
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legislative district includes any part of the municipality. |
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SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 109.003, Local |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, a municipal fee that exists |
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on the effective date of this Act is abolished on September 1, 2015, |
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unless the fee is reauthorized as provided by that section before |
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September 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |