BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2014
89R11484 SRA-F	By: Kerwin (Birdwell)
	Local Government
	5/21/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The bill author has informed the committee that, in the initial election of members of the seven-member board of directors of the Somervell County Hospital District in May 2014, under applicable state law, the four candidates with the highest number of votes were to serve two-year terms and the three candidates with the next highest number of votes were to serve one-year terms. However, two of the seven candidates received the same number of votes, tying for the fourth highest number of votes, and there was no agreement among the candidates regarding how to decide which of those two candidates would serve a two-year term and which would serve a one-year term. Therefore, the Somervell County Attorney requested an attorney general opinion, and in the opinion, the attorney general stated a court could conclude that two directors of a seven-member board who receive the fourth-highest total number of votes are included in the "majority of the directors who receive the highest number of votes" and that both serve a two-year term under applicable state law. As a result of that opinion, the board voted in 2015 to implement staggered terms of office for directors and currently, two directors are elected in odd-numbered years and five directors are elected in even-numbered years. H.B. 2014 seeks to rectify that unbalanced election schedule and provide for more continuity in the district's governance.

H.B. 2014 amends current law relating to the election of the board of directors of the Somervell County Hospital District.

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 Subtitle A, Title 3, Special District Local Laws Code, by adding Chapter 1123, as follows:

CHAPTER 1123. SOMERVELL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 1123.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "board," "director," and "district."

SUBCHAPTER B. DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

Sec. 1123.051. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Provides that the board of directors of the Somervell County Hospital District (board; district) consists of seven elected members of the board (directors).

Sec. 1123.052. TERMS; ELECTION. (a) Provides that directors serve staggered four-year terms.

(b) Requires that an election be held on the uniform election date in May of appropriate years to elect the appropriate number of directors.

SECTION 2. (a) Requires a director of the district who is serving on the day before the effective date of this Act to continue to serve until the director's term expires and the director's successor has qualified.

(b) Requires the directors of the district elected at the directors' election held in May of 2026, notwithstanding Section 1123.052, Special District Local Laws Code, as added by this Act, to draw lots to determine which two directors serve two-year terms and which three directors serve three-year terms.

(c) Requires the directors of the district elected at the directors' election held in May of 2027 to serve four-year terms.

(d) Requires a director of the district who succeeds a director described by Subsection (b) or (c) of this section to serve a four-year term.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.