| 1 | 1 | | 83R7077 NC-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Anchia H.B. No. 1509 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the enforcement of water conservation and animal care |
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| 8 | 8 | | and control ordinances of a municipality by civil action or |
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| 9 | 9 | | quasi-judicial enforcement; providing civil penalties. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 54.012, Local Government Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 54.012. CIVIL ACTION. A municipality may bring a civil |
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| 14 | 14 | | action for the enforcement of an ordinance: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) for the preservation of public safety, relating to |
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| 16 | 16 | | the materials or methods used to construct a building or other |
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| 17 | 17 | | structure or improvement, including the foundation, structural |
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| 18 | 18 | | elements, electrical wiring or apparatus, plumbing and fixtures, |
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| 19 | 19 | | entrances, or exits; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) relating to the preservation of public health or |
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| 21 | 21 | | to the fire safety of a building or other structure or improvement, |
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| 22 | 22 | | including provisions relating to materials, types of construction |
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| 23 | 23 | | or design, interior configuration, illumination, warning devices, |
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| 24 | 24 | | sprinklers or other fire suppression devices, availability of water |
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| 25 | 25 | | supply for extinguishing fires, or location, design, or width of |
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| 26 | 26 | | entrances or exits; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) for zoning that provides for the use of land or |
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| 28 | 28 | | classifies a parcel of land according to the municipality's |
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| 29 | 29 | | district classification scheme; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (4) establishing criteria for land subdivision or |
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| 31 | 31 | | construction of buildings, including provisions relating to street |
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| 32 | 32 | | width and design, lot size, building width or elevation, setback |
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| 33 | 33 | | requirements, or utility service specifications or requirements; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (5) implementing civil penalties under this |
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| 35 | 35 | | subchapter for conduct classified by statute as a Class C |
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| 36 | 36 | | misdemeanor; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (6) relating to dangerously damaged or deteriorated |
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| 38 | 38 | | structures or improvements; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (7) relating to conditions caused by accumulations of |
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| 40 | 40 | | refuse, vegetation, or other matter that creates breeding and |
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| 41 | 41 | | living places for insects and rodents; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (8) relating to the interior configuration, design, |
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| 43 | 43 | | illumination, or visibility of business premises exhibiting for |
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| 44 | 44 | | viewing by customers while on the premises live or mechanically or |
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| 45 | 45 | | electronically displayed entertainment intended to provide sexual |
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| 46 | 46 | | stimulation or sexual gratification; [or] |
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| 47 | 47 | | (9) relating to point source effluent limitations or |
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| 48 | 48 | | the discharge of a pollutant, other than from a non-point source, |
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| 49 | 49 | | into a sewer system, including a sanitary or storm water sewer |
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| 50 | 50 | | system, owned or controlled by the municipality; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (10) relating to animal care and control; or |
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| 52 | 52 | | (11) relating to water conservation measures, |
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| 53 | 53 | | including watering restrictions. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 2. Section 54.032, Local Government Code, is |
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| 55 | 55 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 56 | 56 | | Sec. 54.032. ORDINANCES SUBJECT TO QUASI-JUDICIAL |
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| 57 | 57 | | ENFORCEMENT. This subchapter applies only to ordinances: |
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| 58 | 58 | | (1) for the preservation of public safety, relating to |
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| 59 | 59 | | the materials or methods used to construct a building or |
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| 60 | 60 | | improvement, including the foundation, structural elements, |
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| 61 | 61 | | electrical wiring or apparatus, plumbing and fixtures, entrances, |
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| 62 | 62 | | or exits; |
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| 63 | 63 | | (2) relating to the fire safety of a building or |
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| 64 | 64 | | improvement, including provisions relating to materials, types of |
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| 65 | 65 | | construction or design, warning devices, sprinklers or other fire |
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| 66 | 66 | | suppression devices, availability of water supply for |
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| 67 | 67 | | extinguishing fires, or location, design, or width of entrances or |
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| 68 | 68 | | exits; |
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| 69 | 69 | | (3) relating to dangerously damaged or deteriorated |
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| 70 | 70 | | buildings or improvements; |
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| 71 | 71 | | (4) relating to conditions caused by accumulations of |
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| 72 | 72 | | refuse, vegetation, or other matter that creates breeding and |
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| 73 | 73 | | living places for insects and rodents; [or] |
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| 74 | 74 | | (5) relating to a building code or to the condition, |
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| 75 | 75 | | use, or appearance of property in a municipality; |
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| 76 | 76 | | (6) relating to animal care and control; or |
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| 77 | 77 | | (7) relating to water conservation measures, |
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| 78 | 78 | | including watering restrictions. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 80 | 80 | | a violation of a municipal ordinance that occurs on or after the |
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| 81 | 81 | | effective date of this Act. |
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| 82 | 82 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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