BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 333

84R671 MEW-F

By: Nichols

 

Intergovernmental Relations

 

1/30/2015

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 333 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to change the election date for the board of directors of the Montgomery County Hospital District from the uniform election date in May of each even-numbered year to the uniform election date in November of those years. The bill changes the date on which a director's four-year term expires from the second Tuesday in June to the last day of December. The bill requires the district's board of directors to adjust the terms of office to conform to the election date change.

 

S.B. 333 authorizes a district construction contract that involves the expenditure of more than the amount provided by Local Government Code provisions relating to a competitive procurement procedure that is applicable to a contract to be made only after advertising in the manner provided by Local Government Code provisions governing competitive bidding on certain public works contracts. S.B. 333 also removes the authorization for a district construction contract that involves the expenditure of more than $10,000 to be made only after advertising in the manner provided by Local Government Code provisions relating to the purchasing and contracting authority of municipalities and the County Purchasing Act.

 

Interested parties note the need to change the date of the election for the board of directors of the Montgomery County Hospital District to better serve constituents and save money through efficiency and economics of scale by conducting the election concurrently with elections for other offices. The parties also note that certain competitive bidding requirements among hospital districts are inconsistent. S.B. 333 seeks to address these needs.

 

As proposed, S.B. 333 amends current law relating to the Montgomery County Hospital District.

 

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 Sections 1063.051(c) and (d), Special District Local Laws Code, as follows:

 

(c) Requires an election be held on the uniform election date in November, rather than May, of each even-numbered year to elect the appropriate number of directors.

 

(d) Provides that directors serve staggered four-year terms that expire on the last day of December, rather than the second Tuesday in June.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 1063.112, Special District Local Laws Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 1063.112.  CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS.  Provides that a construction contract that involves the expenditure of more than the amount provided by Section 271.024 (Competitive Procurement Procedure Applicable to Contract), Local Government Code, rather than $10,000, may be made only after advertising in the manner provided by Subchapter B (Competitive Bidding on Certain Public Works Contracts), Chapter 271, rather than Chapter 252 (Purchasing and Contracting Authority of Municipalities) and Subchapter C (Competitive Bidding in General), Chapter 262, Local Government Code.

 

SECTION 3. Requires the board of directors of the Montgomery County Hospital District to adjust the terms of office to conform to a change in the election date made by this Act.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2015.