The bill, H.B. No. 3172, introduces a new subchapter to the Local Government Code that regulates municipal oversight of multifamily and mixed-use developments on religious land. It defines key terms such as "group home," "heavy industrial use," "mixed-use," "multifamily," "religious land," and "supportive housing." The bill mandates that municipalities must permit multifamily and mixed-use developments on religious land and cannot impose certain zoning or land use changes, such as requiring special exceptions or variances. Additionally, it prohibits municipalities from imposing restrictions on building height, setbacks, and parking requirements that exceed specified limits.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the municipality's duty to approve applications for such developments if they meet existing land development regulations, excluding those related to prohibited municipal requirements. It also allows affected individuals or housing organizations to take legal action against municipalities for violations of this subchapter, providing for remedies such as declaratory judgments, injunctions, and damages. The bill emphasizes that governmental immunity is waived in cases of liability created by this section, and it establishes the Fifteenth Court of Appeals as the exclusive appellate jurisdiction for related actions. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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