84R10265 NC-D
By: Alvarado H.B. No. 2917
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of certain municipalities to impose term
limits on the members of their governing bodies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 26, Local Government
Code, is amended by adding Section 26.048 to read as follows:
Sec. 26.048. TERM LIMITS IN POPULOUS MUNICIPALITIES. (a)
This section applies only to a municipality with a population of 1.8
million or more.
(b) In this section:
(1) "Governing body of a municipality" includes the
presiding officer of the municipality.
(2) "Municipal term limit" means a provision in a
municipal charter or ordinance that imposes a limit on the number of
terms or otherwise restricts the length of service a member of the
governing body of a municipality may serve on the governing body.
(c) The presiding officer of a municipality shall order an
election in the municipality on the first uniform election date in
November that occurs in an even-numbered year after this section
becomes applicable to the municipality on the question of imposing
term limits of a maximum of two four-year terms on the members of
the governing body of the municipality.
(d) The ballot at the election must be printed to permit
voting for or against the proposition: "Authorizing term limits
consisting of a maximum of two four-year terms on a person's service
on the governing body of the City of (insert name of municipality)."
(e) If a majority of the votes received at the election
favor the proposition, the number and length of terms a person may
serve on the governing body is limited to a maximum of two four-year
terms. The municipality shall adjust the length of the terms of the
members of the governing body as necessary to comply with the
proposition.
(f) If less than a majority of the votes received at the
election favor the proposition, municipal term limits and the
length of the terms of the members of the governing body that
existed before the election are not affected.
(g) In applying a term limit authorized by this section:
(1) a term to which a member of the governing body was
elected or appointed before the election held under Subsection (c)
is counted only if the member served one-half or more of the term;
and
(2) a partial term to which a member of the governing
body is elected or appointed on or after the date of the election
held under Subsection (c) is counted only if the member serves
one-half or more of the term.
(h) This section expires January 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.