BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 149

By: Murr

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Some municipalities in Texas have found properties within their municipal park system that were previously conveyed or otherwise dedicated to the municipality as parks or park land but are not being used as such. A municipality is generally permitted to sell such a park property following a public hearing only if the sale is supported by the community at an election. A home‑rule municipality with a population of more than one million, however, is exempt from the election requirement for the sale of certain park land. H.B. 149 seeks to extend this exemption to any home-rule municipality in order to assist these municipalities in avoiding the expense of an election while maintaining public notice and hearing requirements and keeping sale proceeds within the local park system.

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. 149 amends the Local Government Code to extend from a home-rule municipality with a population of more than one million to any home-rule municipality the exemption from election requirements for the conveyance of certain municipally owned park land.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.