BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3203
86R10774 JXC-F	By: Dean (Hughes)
	Intergovernmental Relations
	5/16/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It has been suggested that the rapid growth experienced by certain counties highlights the need for some emergency services districts to be divided to ensure an attentive and rapid response to emergencies occurring throughout a county. H.B. 3203 seeks to address this issue by providing for the division of such a district in certain counties.

H.B. 3203 amends current law relating to the division of certain emergency services districts.

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 Section 775.221, Health and Safety Code, as follows:

Sec. 775.221. AUTHORITY TO DIVIDE DISTRICT. (a) Provides that this subchapter (Division of District) applies only to a district located wholly in:

(1) a county with a population of 20,000 or less; or

(2) a county with a population of more than 30,000 but less than 41,000 that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 200,000 but less than 220,000.

(b) Creates this subsection from existing text. Authorizes the board of a district described by Subsection (a), rather than the board of a district wholly located in one county with a population of 20,000 or less, to create a new district by disannexing territory from the existing district and ordering a new district to be created in the disannexed territory in the manner provided by this subchapter.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 775.223(c), Health and Safety Code, as follows:

(c) Makes a nonsubstantive change. Requires the board to approve the petition not later than the 10th day after the date of the hearing if the board finds that:

(1) the petition contains the number of signatures required under Section 775.222(a); and

(2) the proposed division is feasible.

Deletes existing text requiring the board, if the board finds that the petition contains the number of signatures required under Section 775.222(a) (relating to requiring a petition for division signed by at least seven percent of the district's qualified voters or at least 100 of the district's qualified voters, whichever is the lesser number, to be received before a version is authorized), to approve the petition not later than the 10th day after the date of the hearing.

SECTION 3. Makes application of Section 775.223(c), Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.