By: Zaffirini  S.B. No. 1216
         (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2021; March 18, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  March 31, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
  Nays 0; March 31, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to a local option election on the sale of alcoholic
  beverages in certain areas of a municipality.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 251, Alcoholic Beverage
  Code, is amended by adding Section 251.742 to read as follows:
         Sec. 251.742.  MUNICIPAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ZONE. (a) In
  this section, "commercial area" means a contiguous area:
               (1)  in which 75 percent or more of the land area,
  excluding street rights-of-way, is devoted to or restricted to any
  combination of retail, restaurant, entertainment, office,
  government, or business uses; and
               (2)  that includes at least 20 commercial
  establishments.
         (b)  This section applies only to a municipality that:
               (1)  has a population of 15,000 or more; and
               (2)  is located in two counties one of which:
                     (A)  has a population of 340,000 or more; and
                     (B)  borders the Gulf of Mexico.
         (c)  The governing body of a municipality by resolution may
  propose a zone within a commercial area of the municipality to be
  designated as a zone in which the legal sale of one or more
  prohibited types or classifications of alcoholic beverages may be
  considered in a local option election under this section. The
  resolution must describe the boundaries of the proposed zone.
         (d)  The governing body of the municipality shall order an
  election on the issue and prepare the ballot for the election that
  describes the boundaries of the proposed zone and permits voting
  for or against one of the ballot issues prescribed by Section
  501.035, Election Code, with respect to the proposed zone.
         (e)  The qualified voters of a municipality may petition the
  governing body of the municipality, in the manner prescribed by
  Chapter 501, Election Code, to order an election to alter the status
  of the sale of any type or classification of alcoholic beverages
  that has been legalized in a zone by an election conducted under
  this section.
         (f)  An election conducted under this section shall be
  conducted within the entire boundaries of the municipality in which
  an alcoholic beverage zone is proposed as those boundaries exist on
  the date of the election. The results of the election affect only
  the wet or dry status of the area within the boundaries of the zone.
         (g)  The provisions for conducting a local option election
  under Chapter 501, Election Code, apply to an election conducted
  under this section to the extent those provisions do not conflict
  with this section.
         (h)  The results of an election conducted under this section
  do not affect the legal sale of one or more types or classifications
  of alcoholic beverages that are permitted in the zone because of the
  zone's inclusion in a political subdivision.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
  * * * * *