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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements for the addition of noncontiguous |
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territory to certain special districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 49.302(d), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The secretary of the board shall issue a notice setting |
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forth the time and place of the hearing and describing the area |
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proposed to be annexed. Notice of the hearing shall be given: |
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(1) by posting copies of the notice in three public |
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places in the district and in one public place in the area proposed |
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to be annexed for at least 14 days before the day of the hearing; |
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(2) [and] by publishing a copy of the notice in a |
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newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which |
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the area proposed to be annexed is located one time at least 14 days |
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before the day of the hearing; and |
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(3) if applicable, in the manner prescribed by Section |
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49.3021. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 49, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 49.3021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 49.3021. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN |
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PETITIONS TO ADD LAND TO CERTAIN DISTRICTS. (a) This section |
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applies only to a district governed by: |
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(1) Chapter 51, 53, 54, 55, or 65 of this code; or |
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(2) Chapter 375, Local Government Code. |
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(b) This section applies only to a petition filed under |
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Section 49.302 for the annexation of land that is noncontiguous to |
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the district and located at the time the petition is filed: |
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(1) more than three miles from the boundaries of the |
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district; or |
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(2) in a county other than any county in which the |
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district is located. |
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(c) A district that receives a petition described by |
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Subsection (b), in addition to the notice requirements under |
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Section 49.302, shall provide notice of the hearing: |
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(1) in the manner required for notice of a regular |
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district meeting; |
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(2) unless notice is waived by the county, to the |
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county clerk of the county in which the land proposed to be annexed |
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is located not later than the 30th day before the date of the |
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hearing; and |
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(3) unless notice is waived by an owner, to each owner, |
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other than a petitioner, of taxable property as shown by the most |
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recent certified tax roll of the applicable central appraisal |
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district in the area proposed to be annexed by certified mail not |
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later than the 14th day before the date of the hearing. |
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(d) On the request of the commissioners court of the county |
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in which the land proposed to be annexed is located, a petitioner |
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under this section shall submit to the commissioners court the |
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petition and any other relevant information reasonably requested by |
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the commissioners court relating to the proposed addition for |
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review. The board may not receive the proposed area as an addition |
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to the district if the petitioner does not comply with the request |
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of the county. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a petition submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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petition submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the petition was |
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submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |