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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation, powers and duties, and administration of |
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emergency response districts; providing authority to impose taxes |
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and issue bonds. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. CREATION OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE DISTRICT. |
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(a) |
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After receiving a petition that is signed by qualified voters in a |
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county owning taxable real property in the county and that requests |
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the creation of an emergency response district, or on its own |
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initiative, the commissioners court shall hold a public hearing on |
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the issue. |
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(b) If the commissioners court determines after the hearing |
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that the issue of creation of an emergency response district should |
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be submitted to the voters, the court shall determine proposed |
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boundaries for the district, set a proposed maximum rate of ad |
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valorem tax for real property in the district, and call an election |
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on the issue. |
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(c) If a majority of the qualified voters voting at the |
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election approve the proposition to create the emergency response |
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district, the district is created. |
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SECTION 2. ADMINISTRATION OF DISTRICT. If an emergency |
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response district is created as provided by Section 1 of this Act, |
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the commissioners court shall appoint a board of commissioners to |
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administer the district. A member of the board appointed under this |
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section serves a two-year term and is subject to removal at the will |
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of the commissioners court. |
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SECTION 3. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The board of |
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commissioners of an emergency response district has the duty of |
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providing services relating to: |
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(1) fire prevention and suppression; |
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(2) emergency medical services; |
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(3) rescue of persons on district waterways; |
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(4) enforcement of a district fire code; and |
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(5) regulation of hazardous materials. |
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SECTION 4. IMPOSITION OF TAX; ISSUANCE OF BONDS. An |
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emergency response district has the power to impose an ad valorem |
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tax on real property in the district at a rate not to exceed the rate |
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approved at the election at which the district was created. The |
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district may issue bonds in amounts necessary to repay indebtedness |
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created by use of tax revenues. |
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SECTION 5. CONVERSION OF EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT. On |
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creation of an emergency response district under this Act, any |
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portion of an emergency services district that is included within |
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the boundaries of the emergency response district becomes part of |
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the emergency response district and ceases to exist as a separate |
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entity. |
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SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1, |
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2016, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, authorizing the creation of |
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emergency response districts, is approved by the voters. If that |
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amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. |