By: Cain (Senate Sponsor - Bettencourt) H.B. No. 3613
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 15, 2023;
May 16, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Local
Government; May 21, 2023, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 21, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE VOTE
YeaNayAbsentPNV
BettencourtX
SpringerX
EckhardtX
GutierrezX
HallX
NicholsX
ParkerX
PaxtonX
WestX
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the election of the entire governing body of a
municipality following each apportionment.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Local Government Code,
is amended by adding Section 21.006 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.006. ELECTION OF ENTIRE GOVERNING BODY UPON
APPORTIONMENT. (a) A municipality that is divided into districts,
wards, or other areas from which members of its governing body are
elected shall elect all members of the municipality's governing
body following each apportionment on the first uniform election
date that allows sufficient time to comply with any requirements of
law.
(b) If members of the governing body of a municipality
described by Subsection (a) serve staggered terms, the municipality
shall adopt an equitable process to determine which members of the
governing body serve shorter terms to accommodate an election
following apportionment that accounts for the remaining time in
each member's term and whether the term of any member elected from a
particular district, ward, or area was previously shortened under
this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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