BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3135

By: Cole

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

After the creation of the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1, the need for increased county participation and oversight became clear, given that the district is located in the unincorporated areas of Travis County and only partially in the extended extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Austin. Additionally, the district is currently unable to assess single-family residences for improvements and services benefiting those properties. There have been calls to address the county's partnership with the district by granting the district approval rights and to correct the default municipal management prohibition against assessing single-family residential property. H.B. 3135 seeks to address this issue by revising the powers and duties of the district and by authorizing the district to issue bonds and impose certain taxes.

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. 3135 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to revise provisions relating to the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1 to do the following:

·         explicitly authorize the district to contract with Travis County to provide law enforcement services in the district for a fee;

·         authorize the district to define areas or designate certain property of the district as provided by specified statutory provisions to pay for improvements, facilities, or services that primarily benefit that area or property and do not generally and directly benefit the district as a whole;

·         exempt the district from a prohibition against a municipal management district imposing an impact fee, assessment, tax, or other requirement for payment, construction, alteration, or dedication on single-family detached residential property, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes;

·         provide for county consent for the issuance of bonds, the adoption of a sales and use tax, and the imposition of a hotel occupancy tax by the district; and

·         make other conforming and related changes.

H.B. 3135 provides for the validation and confirmation of the following:

·         the creation of the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1; and

·         certain district actions and proceedings.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.