HBA-PDH H.B. 1334 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1334 By: Crabb Land & Resource Management 3/8/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law grants municipalities the right to unilaterally annex unincorporated areas within their extraterritorial jurisdiction. H.B. 1334 prohibits a municipality with a population of 1.5 million or more from annexing an area unless the municipality holds an election on the question of annexation in the area to be annexed and a majority of the qualified voters voting at the election approve the annexation. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 43, Local Government Code, by adding Section 43.0215, as follows: Sec. 43.0215. VOTER APPROVAL OF ANNEXATION REQUIRED. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a municipality with a population of 1.5 million or more. (b) Prohibits a municipality from annexing an area for full or limited purposes unless the municipality holds an election on the question of annexation in the area to be annexed and a majority of the qualified voters voting at the election approve the annexation. (c) Prohibits a municipality from annexing any portion of an area before the 10th anniversary of the date of an election if a majority of votes received in the election disapproves the annexation. (d) Provides that this section does not apply to an annexation of an area if no qualified voters reside in the area or the annexation is authorized by or subject to another section of this chapter, other than Section 43.021 (Authority of Home-Rule Municipality to Annex Area and Take Other Actions Regarding Boundaries), Local Government Code. (e) Requires a municipality to mail notice of the date of an election and the area proposed to be annexed to all registered voters in the proposed area. (f) Requires a municipality to pay the cost of holding an election and mailing notice of the election to registered voters. SECTION 2.Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.