| 1 | 1 | | 86R15605 ATP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Phelan H.B. No. 3909 |
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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 ballot language requirements for a proposition seeking |
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| 8 | 8 | | voter approval for the issuance of bonds. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 52.072, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as |
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| 12 | 12 | | follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (e) In addition to any other requirement imposed by law for |
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| 14 | 14 | | a proposition, including a provision prescribing the proposition |
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| 15 | 15 | | language, a proposition submitted to the voters for approval of the |
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| 16 | 16 | | issuance of bonds or the imposition, increase, or reduction of a tax |
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| 17 | 17 | | shall specifically state, as applicable: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) with respect to a proposition seeking voter |
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| 19 | 19 | | approval of the issuance of bonds: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) the total principal amount of the bonds to be |
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| 21 | 21 | | authorized, if approved; [and] |
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| 22 | 22 | | (B) a plain language [general] description of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | single specific purpose [the purposes] for which the bonds are to be |
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| 24 | 24 | | authorized, if approved; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (C) the rate of any tax that will be increased or |
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| 26 | 26 | | imposed to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) with respect to a proposition that only seeks |
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| 28 | 28 | | voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax, the amount of |
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| 29 | 29 | | or maximum tax rate of the tax or tax increase for which approval is |
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| 30 | 30 | | sought; or |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) with respect to a proposition that only seeks |
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| 32 | 32 | | voter approval of the reduction of a tax, the amount of tax rate |
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| 33 | 33 | | reduction or the tax rate for which approval is sought. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (f) Each single specific purpose for which bonds requiring |
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| 35 | 35 | | voter approval are to be issued must be printed on the ballot as a |
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| 36 | 36 | | separate proposition. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 38 | 38 | | to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 39 | 39 | | An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is |
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| 40 | 40 | | governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the |
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| 41 | 41 | | former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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