Texas House Bill HB3397

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Relating to comprehensive reviews of certain special districts.

Impact

The introduction of HB 3397 aims to improve accountability and transparency within special districts, which are created for specific purposes and often have the authority to collect taxes and fees. By requiring regular reviews, the state seeks to ensure that these districts are still serving their intended purposes efficiently and effectively. This legislative change is expected to lead to better management of public resources and may help identify unnecessary or inefficient special districts that no longer meet the needs of their constituents or the state.

Summary

House Bill 3397 mandates that special districts in Texas conduct a comprehensive review of their operations and fiscal matters at least once every six years. This review is necessary for any special district that imposes a tax, assessment, or fee and has outstanding debt. The governing bodies of these districts are required to publish a self-evaluation report detailing the significance of their existence, the extent to which they have fulfilled their purpose, and whether they are duplicating services offered by other governmental entities. The report must also provide financial accountability and transparency by indicating revenues generated and liabilities held by the district.

Contention

One potential point of contention surrounding HB 3397 could be the financial burden placed on smaller special districts which may struggle to conduct these comprehensive reviews due to limited resources. Critics may argue that the requirement could lead to additional bureaucracy that disproportionately affects less affluent districts. Conversely, supporters believe that the enhanced scrutiny will provide an opportunity to eliminate waste and improve services provided by these entities. Another area of concern could be the interpretation of overlap with other government services and how that might affect funding or public service offerings.