Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB745 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/11/2019

                            86R836 SCL-D
 By: Schwertner, Buckingham, Campbell S.B. No. 745


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to eliminating distinctions in the application of consent
 annexation requirements.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 ARTICLE 1. REPEAL OF TIER SYSTEM
 SECTION 1.01.  The following provisions of Chapter 43, Local
 Government Code, are repealed:
 (1)  Sections 43.001(2), (3), (4), and (5);
 (2)  Section 43.011;
 (3)  Subchapter B;
 (4)  Section 43.0505(b);
 (5)  Section 43.052;
 (6)  Section 43.053;
 (7)  Section 43.056(q);
 (8)  Section 43.0561;
 (9)  Section 43.0562;
 (10)  Section 43.0563;
 (11)  Section 43.0564;
 (12)  Section 43.061(b);
 (13)  Section 43.066;
 (14)  Section 43.067;
 (15)  Section 43.068;
 (16)  Section 43.069;
 (17)  Section 43.0751(o);
 (18)  Section 43.0752;
 (19)  Section 43.103;
 (20)  Section 43.105; and
 (21)  Subchapter Y.
 SECTION 1.02.  The heading to Subchapter C-2, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C-2. GENERAL ANNEXATION AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES
 REGARDING CONSENT ANNEXATIONS[: TIER 2 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 1.03.  The heading to Subchapter C-3, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C-3. ANNEXATION OF AREA ON REQUEST OF OWNERS[: TIER 2
 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 1.04.  The heading to Subchapter C-4, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C-4. ANNEXATION OF AREAS WITH POPULATION OF LESS THAN
 200 BY PETITION [: TIER 2 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 1.05.  The heading to Subchapter C-5, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C-5. ANNEXATION OF AREAS WITH POPULATION OF AT LEAST 200
 BY ELECTION [: TIER 2 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 1.06.  Section 43.1025(c), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (c)  The area described by Subsection (b) may be annexed
 under the requirements prescribed by Subchapter C-3, C-4, or C-5,
 as applicable [to a tier 2 municipality], but the annexation may not
 occur unless each municipality in whose extraterritorial
 jurisdiction the area may be located:
 (1)  consents to the annexation; and
 (2)  reduces its extraterritorial jurisdiction over
 the area as provided by Section 42.023.
 SECTION 1.07.  Section 43.1211, Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 43.1211.  USE OF CONSENT PROCEDURES [AUTHORITY OF
 CERTAIN TIER 2 MUNICIPALITIES] TO ANNEX FOR LIMITED PURPOSES.
 Except as provided by Section 43.0751, beginning December 1, 2017,
 a [tier 2] municipality described by Section 43.121(a) may annex an
 area for the limited purposes of applying its planning, zoning,
 health, and safety ordinances in the area using the procedures
 under Subchapter C-3, C-4, or C-5, as applicable.
 ARTICLE 2. CONFORMING CHANGES
 SECTION 2.01.  The following provisions of the Special
 District Local Laws Code are repealed:
 (1)  Section 8374.252(a);
 (2)  Section 8375.252(a);
 (3)  Section 8376.252(a);
 (4)  Section 8377.252(a);
 (5)  Section 8378.252(a);
 (6)  Section 8382.252(a);
 (7)  Section 8383.252(a);
 (8)  Section 8384.252(a);
 (9)  Section 8385.252(a); and
 (10)  Section 8477.302(a).
 SECTION 2.02.  Section 43.0116(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  Notwithstanding any other law and subject to Subsection
 (b), a municipality may annex all or part of the area located in an
 industrial district designated by the governing body of the
 municipality under Section 42.044 under the procedures prescribed
 by Subchapter C-1 [the requirements applicable to a tier 1
 municipality].
 SECTION 2.03.  The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C.  LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ANNEXATIONS
 EXEMPTED FROM CONSENT ANNEXATION PROCEDURES [PROCEDURE FOR AREAS
 ANNEXED UNDER MUNICIPAL ANNEXATION PLAN: TIER 1 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 2.04.  Section 43.0505(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  This [Except as provided by Subsection (b), this]
 subchapter applies only to an annexation under Subchapter C-1 [a
 tier 1 municipality].
 SECTION 2.05.  Sections 43.056(a), (b), (j), and (k), Local
 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
 (a)  This section applies to a service plan under Section
 43.065 [Before the first day of the 10th month after the month in
 which the inventory is prepared as provided by Section 43.053, the
 municipality proposing the annexation shall complete a service plan
 that provides for the extension of full municipal services to the
 area to be annexed. The municipality shall provide the services by
 any of the methods by which it extends the services to any other
 area of the municipality].
 (b)  The service plan, which must be completed [in the period
 provided by Subsection (a)] before the annexation, must include a
 program under which the municipality will provide full municipal
 services in the annexed area no later than 2-1/2 years after the
 effective date of the annexation, in accordance with Subsection
 (e), unless certain services cannot reasonably be provided within
 that period and the municipality proposes a schedule for providing
 those services, and must include a list of all services required by
 this section to be provided under the plan.  If the municipality
 proposes a schedule to extend the period for providing certain
 services, the schedule must provide for the provision of full
 municipal services no later than 4-1/2 years after the effective
 date of the annexation.  However, under the program if the
 municipality provides any of the following services within the
 corporate boundaries of the municipality before annexation, the
 municipality must provide those services in the area proposed for
 annexation on the effective date of the annexation of the area:
 (1)  police protection;
 (2)  fire protection;
 (3)  emergency medical services;
 (4)  solid waste collection, except as provided by
 Subsection (o);
 (5)  operation and maintenance of water and wastewater
 facilities in the annexed area that are not within the service area
 of another water or wastewater utility;
 (6)  operation and maintenance of roads and streets,
 including road and street lighting;
 (7)  operation and maintenance of parks, playgrounds,
 and swimming pools; and
 (8)  operation and maintenance of any other publicly
 owned facility, building, or service.
 (j)  The proposed service plan must be made available for
 public inspection and explained to the inhabitants of the area at
 the public hearings held under Section 43.063 [43.0561]. The plan
 may be amended through negotiation at the hearings, but the
 provision of any service may not be deleted. On completion of the
 public hearings, the service plan shall be attached to the
 ordinance annexing the area and approved as part of the ordinance.
 (k)  On approval by the governing body, the service plan is a
 contractual obligation that is not subject to amendment or repeal
 except that if the governing body determines at the public hearings
 required by this subsection that changed conditions or subsequent
 occurrences make the service plan unworkable or obsolete, the
 governing body may amend the service plan to conform to the changed
 conditions or subsequent occurrences. An amended service plan must
 provide for services that are comparable to or better than those
 established in the service plan before amendment. Before any
 amendment is adopted, the governing body must provide an
 opportunity for interested persons to be heard at public hearings
 called and held in the manner provided by Section 43.063 [43.0561].
 SECTION 2.06.  The heading to Subchapter C-1, Chapter 43,
 Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
 SUBCHAPTER C-1. ANNEXATION PROCEDURE FOR AREAS EXEMPTED FROM
 CONSENT [MUNICIPAL] ANNEXATION PROCEDURES [PLAN: TIER 1
 MUNICIPALITIES]
 SECTION 2.07.  Section 43.061(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  Unless otherwise specifically provided by this chapter
 or another law [Except as provided by Subsection (b)], this
 subchapter applies only to an annexation under:
 (1)  Section 43.0115 (Enclave);
 (2)  Section 43.0116 (Industrial District);
 (3)  Section 43.012 (Area Owned by Type-A
 Municipality);
 (4)  Section 43.013 (Navigable Stream);
 (5)  Section 43.0751(h) (Strategic Partnership);
 (6)  Section 43.101 (Municipally Owned Reservoir);
 (7)  Section 43.102 (Municipally Owned Airport); and
 (8)  Section 43.1055 (Road and Right-of-Way) [area that
 is proposed for annexation by a tier 1 municipality and that is not
 required to be included in a municipal annexation plan under
 Section 43.052(h)].
 SECTION 2.08.  Section 43.062(b), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (b)  This subsection applies only to an area that contains
 fewer than 100 separate tracts of land on which one or more
 residential dwellings are located on each tract [described by
 Section 43.052(h)(1)]. Before the 30th day before the date of the
 first hearing required under Section 43.063, a municipality shall
 give written notice of its intent to annex the area to:
 (1)  each property owner in an area proposed for
 annexation, as indicated by the appraisal records furnished by the
 appraisal district for each county in which the area is located;
 (2)  each public entity[, as defined by Section
 43.053,] or private entity that provides services in the area
 proposed for annexation, including each:
 (A)  municipality, county, fire protection
 service provider, including a volunteer fire department, and
 emergency medical services provider, including a volunteer
 emergency medical services provider; and
 (B)  municipal utility district, water control
 and improvement district, or other district created under Section
 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution;
 and
 (3)  each railroad company that serves the municipality
 and is on the municipality's tax roll if the company's right-of-way
 is in the area proposed for annexation.
 SECTION 2.09.  Section 43.0715(c), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (c)  At the time notice of the municipality's intent to annex
 the land within the district is first given in accordance with
 Section [43.052,] 43.0683[,] or 43.0693, as applicable, the
 municipality shall proceed to initiate and complete a report for
 each developer conducted in accordance with the format approved by
 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for audits.  In the
 event the municipality is unable to complete the report prior to the
 effective date of the annexation as a result of the developer's
 failure to provide information to the municipality which cannot be
 obtained from other sources, the municipality shall obtain from the
 district the estimated costs of each project previously undertaken
 by a developer which are eligible for reimbursement.  The amount of
 such costs, as estimated by the district, shall be escrowed by the
 municipality for the benefit of the persons entitled to receive
 payment in an insured interest-bearing account with a financial
 institution authorized to do business in the state.  To compensate
 the developer for the municipality's use of the infrastructure
 facilities pending the determination of the reimbursement amount,
 all interest accrued on the escrowed funds shall be paid to the
 developer whether or not the annexation is valid.  Upon placement
 of the funds in the escrow account, the annexation may become
 effective.  In the event a municipality timely escrows all
 estimated reimbursable amounts as required by this subsection and
 all such amounts, determined to be owed, including interest, are
 subsequently disbursed to the developer within five days of final
 determination in immediately available funds as required by this
 section, no penalties or interest shall accrue during the pendency
 of the escrow.  Either the municipality or developer may, by
 written notice to the other party, require disputes regarding the
 amount owed under this section to be subject to nonbinding
 arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American
 Arbitration Association.
 SECTION 2.10.  Sections 43.0751(b) and (h), Local Government
 Code, are amended to read as follows:
 (b)  The governing bodies of a municipality and a district
 may negotiate and enter into a written strategic partnership
 agreement for the district by mutual consent. [The governing body
 of a municipality, on written request from a district included in
 the municipality's annexation plan under Section 43.052, shall
 negotiate and enter into a written strategic partnership agreement
 with the district. A district included in a municipality's
 annexation plan under Section 43.052:
 [(1)     may not submit its written request before the
 date of the second hearing required under Section 43.0561; and
 [(2)     must submit its written request before the 61st
 day after the date of the second hearing required under Section
 43.0561.]
 (h)  On the full-purpose annexation conversion date set
 forth in the strategic partnership agreement pursuant to Subsection
 (f)(5), the land included within the boundaries of the district
 shall be deemed to be within the full-purpose boundary limits of the
 municipality without the need for further action by the governing
 body of the municipality. The full-purpose annexation conversion
 date established by a strategic partnership agreement may be
 altered only by mutual agreement of the district and the
 municipality. However, nothing herein shall prevent the
 municipality from terminating the agreement and instituting
 proceedings to annex the district, on request by the governing body
 of the district, on any date prior to the full-purpose annexation
 conversion date established by the strategic partnership agreement
 under the procedures prescribed by Subchapter C-1 [applicable to a
 tier 1 municipality]. Land annexed for limited or full purposes
 under this section shall not be included in calculations prescribed
 by Section 43.055(a).
 SECTION 2.11.  Section 43.07515(a), Local Government Code,
 is amended to read as follows:
 (a)  A municipality may not regulate under Section 43.0751
 [or 43.0752] the sale, use, storage, or transportation of fireworks
 outside of the municipality's boundaries.
 SECTION 2.12.  Section 43.101(c), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (c)  A municipality may annex the [The] area described by
 this section [may be annexed] without the consent of any owners or
 residents of the area under the procedures prescribed by Subchapter
 C-1 [applicable to a tier 1 municipality by:
 [(1)  a tier 1 municipality; and
 [(2)]  if there are no owners other than the
 municipality or residents of the area[, a tier 2 municipality].
 SECTION 2.13.  Section 43.102(c), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (c)  A municipality may annex the [The] area described by
 this section [may be annexed] without the consent of any owners or
 residents of the area under the procedures prescribed by Subchapter
 C-1 [applicable to a tier 1 municipality by:
 [(1)  a tier 1 municipality; and
 [(2)]  if there are no owners other than the
 municipality or residents of the area[, a tier 2 municipality].
 SECTION 2.14.  Section 43.1055, Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 43.1055.  ANNEXATION OF ROADS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY [IN
 CERTAIN LARGE COUNTIES]. Notwithstanding any other law, a [tier 2]
 municipality may by ordinance annex a road or the right-of-way of a
 road on request of the owner of the road or right-of-way or the
 governing body of the political subdivision that maintains the road
 or right-of-way under the procedures prescribed by Subchapter C-1
 [applicable to a tier 1 municipality].
 SECTION 2.15.  Section 43.141(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  A majority of the qualified voters of an annexed area
 may petition the governing body of the municipality to disannex the
 area if the municipality fails or refuses to provide services or to
 cause services to be provided to the area:
 (1)  if the area was annexed under Subchapter C-1
 [municipality is a tier 1 municipality], within the period
 specified by Section 43.056 or by the service plan prepared for the
 area under that section; or
 (2)  if the area was annexed under Subchapter C-3, C-4,
 or C-5 [municipality is a tier 2 municipality], within the period
 specified by the written agreement under Section 43.0672 or the
 resolution under Section 43.0682 or 43.0692, as applicable.
 SECTION 2.16.  Section 43.203(b), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (b)  On receipt of the district's petition, the governing
 body of the municipality shall enter into negotiations with the
 district for an agreement to alter the status of annexation that
 must:
 (1)  specify the period, which may not be less than 10
 years beginning on January 1 of the year following the date of the
 agreement, in which limited-purpose annexation is in effect;
 (2)  provide that, at the expiration of the period, the
 district's annexation status will automatically revert to
 full-purpose annexation without following procedures provided by
 Section [Sections] 43.014 [and 43.052 through 43.055] or any
 [other] procedural requirement for annexation not in effect on
 January 1, 1995; and
 (3)  specify the financial obligations of the district
 during and after the period of limited-purpose annexation for:
 (A)  facilities constructed by the municipality
 that are in or that serve the district;
 (B)  debt incurred by the district for water and
 sewer infrastructure that will be assumed by the municipality at
 the end of the period of limited-purpose annexation; and
 (C)  use of the municipal sales taxes collected by
 the municipality for facilities or services in the district.
 SECTION 2.17.  Section 43.905(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  A municipality that proposes to annex an area shall
 provide written notice of the proposed annexation to each public
 school district located in the area proposed for annexation within
 the period prescribed for providing the notice of the first hearing
 under Section [43.0561,] 43.063, 43.0673, 43.0683, or 43.0693, as
 applicable.
 SECTION 2.18.  Sections 43.9051(a) and (b), Local Government
 Code, are amended to read as follows:
 (a)  In this section, "public entity" includes a county, fire
 protection service provider, including a volunteer fire
 department, emergency medical services provider, including a
 volunteer emergency medical services provider, or special district
 described[, as that term is defined] by Section 43.062(b)(2)(B)
 [43.052].
 (b)  A municipality that proposes to annex an area shall
 provide written notice of the proposed annexation within the period
 prescribed for providing the notice of the first hearing under
 Section [43.0561,] 43.063, 43.0673, 43.0683, or 43.0693, as
 applicable, to each public entity that is located in or provides
 services to the area proposed for annexation.
 ARTICLE 3. TRANSITION AND EFFECTIVE DATE
 SECTION 3.01.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only
 to an annexation of an area that is not final on the effective date
 of this Act. An annexation of an area that was final before the
 effective date of this Act is governed by those portions of Chapter
 43, Local Government Code, that relate to post-annexation
 procedures and requirements in effect immediately before the
 effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
 that purpose.
 SECTION 3.02.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.