HBA-CBW, JEK H.B. 973 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 973
By: Madden
Land & Resource Management
3/28/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, before a municipality institutes an annexation
proceeding, the governing body of the municipality must conduct two public
hearings at which persons interested in the annexation are given the
opportunity to be heard.  At least one of the hearings must be held in the
area proposed for annexation if a suitable site is reasonably available and
more than 10 percent of the adults who are permanent residents of the area
file a written protest of the annexation with the secretary of the
municipality within 10 days after the date of the publication of the
notice.  However, the current law does not prohibit two annexation
proceedings from occurring on the same day in which case many affected
persons may not be able to have their voices heard.  House Bill 973
provides that a municipality, in conducting annexation proceedings, must
conduct two public hearings on two separate days within a prescribed time
period. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 973 amends the Local Government Code to provide that the
governing body of a municipality must conduct two public hearings on two
separate days within a prescribed time period before it is authorized to
institute annexation proceedings. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.