By: Ordaz (Senate Sponsor - Blanco) H.B. No. 784
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 17, 2023;
  April 24, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Local
  Government; May 18, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
  May 18, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 784 By:  Springer
 
 
 
  COMMITTEE VOTE
 
 
         YeaNayAbsentPNV
         BettencourtX
         SpringerX
         EckhardtX
         GutierrezX
         HallX
         NicholsX
         ParkerX
         PaxtonX
         WestX
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the delegation of certain authority of a county judge or
  commissioners court in certain counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 81.029(a), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This section applies only to a county judge in a county
  that has a population of more than 800,000 and is located on the
  international border, other than a county to which Section 81.0291
  applies.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 81, Local Government Code,
  is amended by adding Section 81.0291 to read as follows:
         Sec. 81.0291.  DELEGATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITY OF COUNTY
  JUDGE OR COMMISSIONERS COURT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a)  This section
  applies only to a county that:
               (1)  has a population of more than 800,000;
               (2)  is located on the international border; and
               (3)  borders another state. 
         (b)  A county judge may file an order with the commissioners
  court of a county delegating to a county commissioner of the
  commissioners court, a chief administrator, or another county
  officer or employee the ability to sign orders or other official
  documents associated with the county judge's office.  The
  delegating order must clearly indicate the types of orders or
  official documents that the county commissioner, chief
  administrator, officer, or employee may sign on behalf of the
  county judge.
         (c)  A county judge may file a standing order of emergency
  delegation of authority that clearly indicates the types of orders
  or official documents that the county commissioner, chief
  administrator, officer, or employee may sign on behalf of the
  county judge in the event of an emergency or disaster.
         (d)  An order or official document signed by the county
  commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee under the
  delegated authority of the county judge under this section has the
  same effect as an order of the county judge.
         (e)  The county judge may at any time revoke the delegated
  authority or transfer the authority to a different county
  commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee by filing
  an order with the commissioners court.
         (f)  The commissioners court by order may delegate
  managerial authority of the commissioners court to a county chief
  administrator.  The delegating order must clearly indicate the
  specific managerial authority delegated to the administrator.  By
  subsequent order, the commissioners court may revoke or modify the
  managerial authority delegated to the administrator.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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