84R20111 ATP-F
By: Flynn, Shaheen H.B. No. 1380
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1380:
By: Fallon C.S.H.B. No. 1380
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to ballot language for certain propositions to approve
actions by a county, city, school district, or other special
district.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 52.072, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
follows:
(e) In addition to any other requirement imposed by law for
a proposition, including a provision prescribing the proposition
language, a proposition submitted to the voters for approval of the
issuance of bonds or the imposition, increase, or reduction of a tax
shall specifically state, as applicable:
(1) with respect to a proposition seeking voter
approval of the issuance of bonds:
(A) the total principal amount of the bonds to be
authorized, if approved; [and]
(B) a general description of the purposes for
which the bonds are to be authorized, if approved; and
(C) if the issuer is a political subdivision,
including a county, city, school district, or other special
district:
(i) the total amount of the political
subdivision's outstanding debt on the first day of the fiscal year
in which the election is held;
(ii) the total amount of the political
subdivision's debt payments on the first day of the fiscal year in
which the election is held;
(iii) the total amount of the political
subdivision's debt obligations on the first day of the fiscal year
in which the election is held, stated as a per capita amount for the
political subdivision's population; and
(iv) the estimated tax rate if the bonds are
authorized, stated as a per capita amount for the political
subdivision's population;
(2) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax:
(A) [,] the amount of or maximum tax rate of the
tax or tax increase for which approval is sought; and
(B) if the authority holding the election is a
political subdivision, including a county, city, school district,
or other special district:
(i) the tax rate increase if the imposition
or increase is approved, stated as a per capita amount for the
political subdivision's population; and
(ii) a detailed description of the purposes
for which the tax is to be imposed or increased, if approved; or
(3) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the reduction of a tax:
(A) [,] the amount of tax rate reduction or the
tax rate for which approval is sought; and
(B) if the authority holding the election is a
political subdivision, including a county, city, school district,
or other special district, the estimated tax rate reduction, stated
as a per capita amount for the political subdivision's population.
(f) A proposition to which Subsection (e) applies may not
exceed:
(1) 5,000 characters; or
(2) a different limit prescribed by the secretary of
state that ensures that the length of the proposition does not
exceed one page of the ballot or one screen on an electronic voting
machine.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.
An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.