88(R) SB 660 - Introduced version - Bill Text
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
relating to the election of board members of certain emergency
 
services districts.
 
             BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 
             SECTION  1.    Sections 775.024(c) and (h), Health and Safety
 
Code, are amended to read as follows:
 
             (c)    If the boards do not make the appointments before the
 
31st day after the date the boards adopted the joint order:
 
                         (1)    for a consolidated district to which Section
 
775.0343, 775.0345, or 775.035 does not apply, the commissioners
 
court shall appoint five commissioners to the board of the
 
consolidated district; or
 
                         (2)    for a consolidated district to which Section
 
775.0343, 775.0345, or 775.035 does apply, the board of the
 
consolidated district is initially composed of the two
 
commissioners from each existing board who have served the longest
 
terms.
 
             (h)    For a consolidated district to which Section 775.0343,
 
775.0345, or 775.035 applies, the initial commissioners of the
 
consolidated district serve until the next available uniform
 
election date after the date the joint order is adopted and that
 
allows sufficient time to comply with other requirements of law.
 
After an election is held under Section 775.0343, 775.0345, or
 
775.035:
 
                         (1)    the two commissioners who receive the fewest votes
 
of the elected commissioners serve terms ending on December 31 of
 
the second year following the year in which the election is held;
 
and
 
                         (2)    the remaining elected commissioners serve terms
 
ending on December 31 of the fourth year following the year in which
 
the election is held.
 
             SECTION  2.    The heading to Section 775.034, Health and
 
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
 
             Sec.  775.034.    APPOINTMENT OF BOARD IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS
 
[DISTRICT ] LOCATED WHOLLY IN ONE COUNTY.
 
             SECTION  3.    Section 775.034(h), Health and Safety Code, is
 
amended to read as follows:
 
             (h)    This section does not apply to a district located wholly
 
in a county:
 
                         (1)    with a population of more than [three million;
 
                         [(2)    with a population of more than ] 200,000 [that
 
borders Lake Palestine ]; or
 
                         (2)  [(3) ]    with a population of less than 200,000 that
 
borders another state and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
 
             SECTION  4.    Subchapter C, Chapter 775, Health and Safety
 
Code, is amended by adding Section 775.0343 to read as follows:
 
             Sec.   775.0343.     ELECTION OF BOARD FOR DISTRICTS IN POPULOUS
 
COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a district that is
 
located wholly in one county with a population of more than 200,000.
 
This section does not apply to a district described by Section
 
775.0345(a).
 
             (b)     The governing body of a district consists of a
 
five-person board of emergency services commissioners elected at
 
large from the district as prescribed by this section.   Emergency
 
services commissioners serve staggered four-year terms.
 
             (c)     After a district is created, the county judge shall
 
establish a convenient day provided by Section 41.001, Election
 
Code, to conduct an election to elect the initial emergency
 
services commissioners.  
 
             (d)     To be eligible to be a candidate for emergency services
 
commissioner, a person must be at least 18 years of age and a
 
resident of the district.
 
             (e)     A candidate for emergency services commissioner on an
 
initial board must give the voter registrar of the county a sworn
 
notice of the candidate's intention to run for office. The notice
 
must state the person's name, age, and address and state that the
 
person is serving notice of intent to run for emergency services
 
commissioner. On receipt of the notice, the voter registrar of the
 
county shall have the candidate's name placed on the ballot.
Statutes affected: Introduced: Health and Safety Code 775.024, Health and Safety Code 775.034, Health and Safety Code 775.0445, Health and Safety Code 775.301, Health and Safety Code 775.302 (Health and Safety Code 775)