BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2599

By: Reynolds

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties explain that previously enacted legislation provided for the creation of county assistance districts to enable counties to levy a sales tax in areas of the county with a specified maximum tax levy and to spend the sales tax revenue within the district's boundaries for certain purposes. The parties contend that the inability of a county assistance district to be created within or annex an area with a tax levy above that maximum greatly affects certain counties, such as Fort Bend County, that want to utilize the sales tax revenue from a county assistance district to improve various roads that extend into municipalities of the county but that are currently unable to do so because of the law. H.B. 2599 seeks to remedy this situation.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 2599 amends the Local Government Code to authorize the governing body of a county assistance district created by a county with a population of more than 580,000 that borders a county with a population of more than four million by order to include in the district a portion of a road, including associated drainage areas, that is located in a municipality located in the county that created the district if the municipality consents to the inclusion. The bill establishes that an election is not required to approve the order. The bill authorizes the district to use money available to the district to perform maintenance or improvement on a road and the associated drainage areas included as such in the district.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.