BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 467
	By: Bell, Keith (Nichols)
	Local Government
	5/2/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 467 amends current law relating to the procedure for the dissolution of the Cedar Creek Hospital District and the disposition of district money.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 22, Chapter 22, Acts of the 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973, to create an exception under Section 21C(c).

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 22, Acts of the 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973, by adding Section 21C, as follows:

Sec. 21C. (a) Provides that the Cedar Creek Hospital District (district) is authorized to be dissolved as provided by this section only if the district is not providing or paying for the provision of medical or hospital care, all positions on the board of directors of the district (board) are vacant, the district has no outstanding indebtedness, and the only remaining asset of the district is money.

(b) Authorizes the county judges of Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties to jointly agree to order an election on the question of dissolving the district and using any remaining district money to establish and administer the scholarship described by Subsection (g) of this section.

(c) Provides that Section 41.001(a) (relating to requiring that each general or special election be held on certain dates), Election Code, does not apply to an election held under this section.

(d) Requires that the ballot for the election be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition. Sets forth the required language of the ballot.

(e) Prohibits the county judges of Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties, if a majority of the votes cast in the election do not favor the proposition, from taking any additional action under this section.

(f) Provides that, if a majority of the votes cast in the election favor the proposition:

(1) the county judges of Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties are required to find that the district is dissolved and transfer the district money in equal shares to Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties for the purpose of establishing and administering the Andrew Gibbs Memorial Nursing Scholarship in accordance with Subsection (g) of this section; and

(2) not later than the 10th day after the date the commissioners courts of Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties determine that the requirements of Subdivision (1) of this subsection have been met, the commissioners courts of the counties are required to enter orders dissolving the district.

(g) Requires the county judges of Kaufman, Van Zandt, and Henderson Counties to use the money transferred under Subsection (f) of this section to jointly establish and administer the Andrew Gibbs Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Requires the counties to jointly establish an oversight committee to administer the scholarship. Authorizes the oversight committee to establish eligibility criteria and procedures for the application and selection process, provided that the eligibility criteria is required to require an individual receiving a scholarship to:

(1) reside in the boundaries of the district, as those boundaries existed on the date of the election described by Subsection (b) of this section, at the time the individual is accepted for admission to a nursing education program at an institution of higher education in this state; and

(2) be currently enrolled in, or have been accepted for admission to, a nursing education program described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(h) Authorizes the county judges and the oversight committee established under Subsection (g) to collaborate with an institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003 (Definitions), Education Code, located in the boundaries of the district as described by Subsection (g) for the purposes of establishing and administering the scholarship.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.