86R5824 PMO-F
 
  By: Landgraf H.B. No. 2862
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the appointment of special commissioners to assess
  damages in an eminent domain proceeding.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.014(a), Property Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The judge of a court in which a condemnation petition is
  filed or to which an eminent domain case is assigned shall appoint,
  not later than the third day after the date the condemnation
  petition is filed, three disinterested real property owners who
  reside in the county as special commissioners to assess the damages
  of the owner of the property being condemned. The judge appointing
  the special commissioners shall give preference to persons agreed
  on by the parties. The judge shall provide the owner of the
  property being condemned and the condemnor [each party] a
  reasonable period not to exceed 20 days after the date of the
  appointment to strike one of the three commissioners appointed by
  the judge. If a person fails to serve as a commissioner or is struck
  by a party to the suit, the judge shall appoint a replacement not
  later than the third day after the date the judge receives notice
  that the appointee will not serve or is struck.
         SECTION 2.  Section 21.014, Property Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to a condemnation proceeding in which the
  petition is filed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
  condemnation proceeding filed before the effective date of this Act
  is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
  effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
  that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.