By: Leman (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 1618

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; May 6, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human Services; May 14, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 14, 2021, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the number of signatures required on a petition filed in connection with an election to create certain hospital districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 286.021(a) and (b), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) Before a district located wholly in one county may be created, the county judge of that county must receive a petition signed by the greater of:

(1) at least three percent of the registered voters of the territory of the proposed district; or

(2) 100 registered voters of the territory of the proposed district.

(b) Before a district that contains territory located in more than one county may be created, the county judge of each county in which the proposed district will be located must receive a petition signed by the greater of:

(1) at least three percent of the registered voters of the territory of the county in which the judge presides and of the proposed district; or

(2) 100 registered voters of the territory of the county in which the judge presides and of the proposed district.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a petition filed under Section 286.021, Health and Safety Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. A petition filed under that section before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the petition was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

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