By: Bettencourt S.R. No. 716
 
 
SENATE RESOLUTION
         BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
  suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
  conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on
  House Bill 3697 (county regulation of subdivisions and approval
  of subdivision plans or plats) to consider and take action on the
  following matters:
         (1)  Senate Rules 12.03(1), (3), and (4) are suspended to
  permit the committee to change, alter, or amend text which is not
  in disagreement, to add text on any matter which is not in
  disagreement, and to add text on any matter which is not included
  in either the house or senate version of the bill in proposed
  SECTION 1 of the bill, in Section 232.001, Local Government Code,
  by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The owner of a tract of land located outside the
  limits of a municipality must have a plat of the subdivision
  prepared if the owner divides the tract into two or more parts to
  lay out:
               (1)  a subdivision of the tract, including an
  addition;
               (2)  lots; or
               (3)  streets, alleys, squares, parks, or other parts
  of the tract intended by the owner of the tract to be dedicated to
  public use [or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots
  fronting on or adjacent to the streets, alleys, squares, parks,
  or other parts].
         (g)  A plat is considered filed on the date the applicant
  submits the plat, along with a completed plat application and the
  application fees and other requirements prescribed by or under
  this subchapter, to:
               (1)  the commissioners court; or
               (2)  the county authority responsible for approving
  plats.
         Explanation: The change is necessary to repeal the plat
  preparation requirement in relation to purchasers or owners of
  certain lots and to specify the date on which a plat is considered
  filed.
         (2)  Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
  committee to add text on any matter which is not included in
  either the house or senate version of the bill by adding the
  following SECTIONS to the bill:
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Sections 232.0012 and 232.0022 to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 232.0012.  CONSTRUCTION OF SUBCHAPTER. This
  subchapter may not be construed to restrict a county from
  establishing a submittal calendar to be used by an applicant to
  facilitate compliance with the approval process described by
  Sections 232.0025, 232.0026, 232.0027, and 232.0028.
         Sec. 232.0022.  DELEGATION OF APPROVAL RESPONSIBILITY.
  (a)  The commissioners court of a county or the court's designee
  may designate to one or more officers or employees of the county
  the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove
  a plat.
         (b)  An applicant has the right to appeal to the
  commissioners court or the court's designee if the designated
  person or persons disapprove a plat.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 232.0025, Local
  Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 232.0025.  APPROVAL PROCEDURE: TIMELY APPROVAL OF
  PLATS [AND PLANS].
         SECTION 5.  Section 232.0026(a), Local Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A commissioners court or county authority
  responsible for approving plats [designee] that conditionally
  approves or disapproves of a plat application under this
  subchapter shall provide the applicant a written statement of the
  conditions for the conditional approval or the reasons for
  disapproval that clearly articulates each specific condition for
  the conditional approval or reason for disapproval.
         SECTION 6.  Sections 232.0027 and 232.0028, Local
  Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 232.0027.  APPROVAL PROCEDURE: APPLICANT RESPONSE TO
  CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.  After the conditional
  approval or disapproval of a plat application under Section
  232.0026, the applicant may submit to the commissioners court or
  county authority responsible for approving plats [designee] that
  conditionally approved or disapproved the application a written
  response that satisfies each condition for the conditional
  approval or remedies each reason for disapproval provided.  The
  commissioners court or county authority [designee] may not
  establish a deadline for an applicant to submit the response.
         Sec. 232.0028.  APPROVAL PROCEDURE: APPROVAL OR
  DISAPPROVAL OF RESPONSE.  (a)  A commissioners court or county
  authority responsible for approving plats [designee] that
  receives a response under Section 232.0027 shall determine
  whether to approve or disapprove the applicant's previously
  conditionally approved or disapproved plat application not later
  than the 15th day after the date the response was submitted under
  Section 232.0027.
         (b)  A commissioners court or county authority
  responsible for approving plats [designee] that conditionally
  approves or disapproves a plat application following the
  submission of a response under Section 232.0027:
               (1)  must comply with Section 232.0026; and
               (2)  may disapprove the application only for a
  specific condition or reason provided to the applicant for the
  original application under Section 232.0026.
         (c)  A commissioners court or county authority
  responsible for approving plats [designee] that receives a
  response under Section 232.0027 shall approve a previously
  conditionally approved or disapproved plat application if the
  applicant's response adequately addresses each condition for the
  conditional approval or each reason for the disapproval.
         (d)  A previously conditionally approved or disapproved
  plat application is approved if:
               (1)  the applicant filed a response that meets the
  requirements of Subsection (c); and
               (2)  the commissioners court or county authority
  responsible for approving plats [designee] that received the
  response does not disapprove the application on or before the
  date required by Subsection (a) and in accordance with Section
  232.0026.
         SECTION 8.  Section 232.0025(d-1), Local Government Code,
  is repealed.
         Explanation: The change is necessary to provide
  limitations on county regulation of subdivisions and approval of
  subdivision plats and plans.
         (3)  Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
  committee to add text on any matter which is not included in
  either the house or senate version of the bill in proposed
  SECTION 4 of the bill, by amending Sections 232.0025(b), (c),
  (d), (f), (g), and (h), Local Government Code, and adding Section
  232.0025(f-1), Local Government Code, to read as follows:
         (b)  If a person submits a plat application to the
  commissioners court that does not include all of the
  documentation or other information required by Subsection (a),
  the commissioners court or the county authority responsible for
  approving plats [court's designee] shall, not later than the 10th
  business day after the date the commissioners court receives the
  application, notify the applicant of the missing documents or
  other information.  The commissioners court shall allow an
  applicant to timely submit the missing documents or other
  information.
         (c)  An application is considered complete when all
  documentation or other information required by Subsection (a) is
  received.  Acceptance by the commissioners court or the county
  authority responsible for approving plats [court's designee] of
  a completed plat application with the documentation or other
  information required by Subsection (a) shall not be construed as
  approval of the documentation or other information.
         (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (f), the
  commissioners court or the county authority responsible for
  approving plats [court's designee] shall approve, approve with
  conditions, or disapprove a plat application not later than the
  30th day after the date the completed application is received by
  the commissioners court or the county authority [court's
  designee]. An application is approved by the commissioners court
  or the county authority [court's designee] unless the
  application is disapproved within that period and in accordance
  with Section 232.0026.
         (f)  The 30-day period under Subsection (d):
               (1)  for a purpose related to Chapter 2007,
  Government Code, may be extended for a period not to exceed 30
  days, if:
                     (A)  requested and agreed to in writing by the
  applicant and approved by the commissioners court or the county
  authority responsible for approving plats [court's designee]; or
                     (B)  Chapter 2007, Government Code, requires
  the county to perform a takings impact assessment in connection
  with the plat application; or [and]
               (2)  for a purpose unrelated to Chapter 2007,
  Government Code, may be extended for one or more periods, not to
  exceed 30 days, if requested and agreed to in writing by the
  applicant and approved by the commissioners court or the county
  authority.
         (f-1)  The 30-day period under Subsection (d) applies only
  to a decision wholly within the control of the commissioners
  court or the county authority responsible for approving plats
  [court's designee].
         (g)  The commissioners court or the county authority
  responsible for approving plats [court's designee] shall make
  the determination under Subsection (f)(1) of whether the 30-day
  period will be extended not later than the 20th day after the date
  a completed plat application is received by the commissioners
  court or the county authority [court's designee].
         (h)  The commissioners court or the county authority
  responsible for approving plats [court's designee] may not
  require an applicant to waive the time limits or approval
  procedure contained in this subchapter.
         Explanation:  The change is necessary to conform to other
  changes made in the bill and to change requirements relating to
  the timely approval of plat applications.
         (4)  Senate Rules 12.03(1), (3), and (4) are suspended to
  permit the committee to change, alter, or amend text which is not
  in disagreement, to add text on any matter which is not in
  disagreement, and to add text on any matter which is not included
  in either the house or senate version of the bill in proposed
  SECTION 4 of the bill, by amending Section 232.0025(i), Local
  Government Code, to read as follows:
         (i)  If the commissioners court or the county authority
  responsible for approving plats [court's designee] fails to
  approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove a plat
  application as required by this subchapter:
               (1)  the commissioners court shall refund the
  greater of the unexpended portion of any application fee or
  deposit or 50 percent of an application fee or deposit that has
  been paid;
               (2)  the application is granted by operation of law;
  [and]
               (3)  the applicant may apply to a district court in
  the county where the tract of land is located for a writ of
  mandamus to compel the commissioners court to issue documents
  recognizing the plat application's approval;
               (4)  the applicant shall recover reasonable
  attorney's fees and court costs incurred in bringing an action
  under Subdivision (3) if the applicant prevails; and
               (5)  the county may recover reasonable attorney's
  fees and court costs incurred in an action brought under
  Subdivision (3) if the county prevails and the court finds the
  action is frivolous.
         Explanation:  The change is necessary to conform to other
  changes made in the bill and to provide for the awarding of
  attorney's fees and court costs in certain actions.
 
 
 
 
    _______________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
         I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on May 28, 2023, by the
  following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
   
   
   
    _______________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate