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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the expansion of the boundaries of the Dallas County and |
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Tarrant County Hospital Districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 281, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 281.058 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 281.058. EXPANSION OF DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT |
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TERRITORY. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, registered voters |
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of a defined territory composed of one or more counties contiguous |
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to Dallas County, Texas, that is not included in the boundaries of |
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the Dallas County Hospital District may file a petition with the |
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Commissioners Court of Dallas County requesting inclusion in the |
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district. The petition must be signed by at least 50 registered |
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voters of the defined territory or a majority of those voters, |
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whichever is less. |
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(b) Regardless of whether a petition is filed under |
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Subsection (a), the Commissioners Court of Dallas County may pursue |
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the issue of annexing territory to the district. |
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(c) The Commissioners Court of Dallas County shall set a |
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time and place to hold a hearing on the issue of annexing territory |
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to the district. The commissioners court shall set a date for the |
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hearing that is not earlier than the 31st day after the date the |
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court issues the order. |
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(d) If after the hearing the Commissioners Court of Dallas |
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County finds that annexation of territory into the district would |
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be feasible and would benefit the district, the commissioners court |
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may approve the annexation by a resolution entered in its minutes. |
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If the commissioners court is acting in response to a petition, the |
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commissioners court is not required to include all of the territory |
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described in the petition if a modification or change is found to be |
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necessary or desirable. The Commissioners Court of Dallas County |
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shall send a copy of the resolution to the commissioners court of |
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each county in which the territory to be annexed is included. |
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(e) Annexation of territory is final when approved by a |
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majority of the voters at an election held in the district and by a |
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majority of the voters at a separate election held in the territory |
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to be annexed. If the district has outstanding debts or taxes, the |
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voters in the election to approve the annexation must also |
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determine if the annexed territory will assume its proportion of |
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the debts or taxes if added to the district. A commissioners court |
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that receives a copy of a resolution under Subsection (d) shall |
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cooperate with the Commissioners Court of Dallas County in holding |
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the elections required by this subsection. |
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(f) The election ballots shall be printed to provide for |
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voting for or against the following, as applicable: |
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(1) "Adding (description of territory to be added) to |
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the Dallas County Hospital District."; or |
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(2) "(Description of territory to be added) assuming |
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its proportionate share of the outstanding debts and taxes of the |
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Dallas County Hospital District, if it is added to the district." |
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(g) If territory to be included in the district under this |
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section is included in the boundaries of another hospital district, |
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the election to approve adding the territory to the district under |
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this section is to be treated for all purposes as an election to |
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dissolve the other hospital district in accordance with Section 9, |
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Article IX, Texas Constitution, and Sections 286.102 through |
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286.106. |
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(h) The ballot language at an election to which Subsection |
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(g) applies must clearly state that the final approval of the |
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annexation of the territory will result in the dissolution of the |
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other hospital district. |
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(i) Once annexation is approved, the Commissioners Court of |
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Dallas County shall appoint an advisory committee with |
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representatives from each county included in the annexed territory |
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to represent the interests of the county. |
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(j) This section does not affect the authority given to the |
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Commissioners Court of Dallas County under this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 281, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 281.059 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 281.059. EXPANSION OF TARRANT COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT |
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TERRITORY. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, registered voters |
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|
of a defined territory composed of one or more counties contiguous |
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|
to Tarrant County, Texas, that is not included in the boundaries of |
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|
the Tarrant County Hospital District may file a petition with the |
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|
Commissioners Court of Tarrant County requesting inclusion in the |
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|
district. The petition must be signed by at least 50 registered |
|
|
voters of the defined territory or a majority of those voters, |
|
|
whichever is less. |
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|
(b) Regardless of whether a petition is filed under |
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|
Subsection (a), the Commissioners Court of Tarrant County may |
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|
pursue the issue of annexing territory to the district. |
|
|
(c) The Commissioners Court of Tarrant County shall set a |
|
|
time and place to hold a hearing on the issue of annexing territory |
|
|
to the district. The commissioners court shall set a date for the |
|
|
hearing that is not earlier than the 31st day after the date the |
|
|
court issues the order. |
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|
(d) If after the hearing the Commissioners Court of Tarrant |
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|
County finds that annexation of territory into the district would |
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|
be feasible and would benefit the district, the commissioners court |
|
|
may approve the annexation by a resolution entered in its minutes. |
|
|
If the commissioners court is acting in response to a petition, the |
|
|
commissioners court is not required to include all of the territory |
|
|
described in the petition if a modification or change is found to be |
|
|
necessary or desirable. The Commissioners Court of Tarrant County |
|
|
shall send a copy of the resolution to the commissioners court of |
|
|
each county in which the territory to be annexed is included. |
|
|
(e) Annexation of territory is final when approved by a |
|
|
majority of the voters at an election held in the district and by a |
|
|
majority of the voters at a separate election held in the territory |
|
|
to be annexed. If the district has outstanding debts or taxes, the |
|
|
voters in the election to approve the annexation must also |
|
|
determine if the annexed territory will assume its proportion of |
|
|
the debts or taxes if added to the district. A commissioners court |
|
|
that receives a copy of a resolution under Subsection (d) shall |
|
|
cooperate with the Commissioners Court of Tarrant County in holding |
|
|
the elections required by this subsection. |
|
|
(f) The election ballots shall be printed to provide for |
|
|
voting for or against the following, as applicable: |
|
|
(1) "Adding (description of territory to be added) to |
|
|
the Tarrant County Hospital District."; or |
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|
(2) "(Description of territory to be added) assuming |
|
|
its proportionate share of the outstanding debts and taxes of the |
|
|
Tarrant County Hospital District, if it is added to the district." |
|
|
(g) If territory to be included in the district under this |
|
|
section is included in the boundaries of another hospital district, |
|
|
the election to approve adding the territory to the district under |
|
|
this section is to be treated for all purposes as an election to |
|
|
dissolve the other hospital district in accordance with Section 9, |
|
|
Article IX, Texas Constitution, and Sections 286.102 through |
|
|
286.106. |
|
|
(h) The ballot language at an election to which Subsection |
|
|
(g) applies must clearly state that the final approval of the |
|
|
annexation of the territory will result in the dissolution of the |
|
|
other hospital district. |
|
|
(i) Once annexation is approved, the Commissioners Court of |
|
|
Tarrant County shall appoint an advisory committee with |
|
|
representatives from each county included in the annexed territory |
|
|
to represent the interests of the county. |
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|
(j) This section does not affect the authority given to the |
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|
Commissioners Court of Tarrant County under this chapter. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect on the date on which the |
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constitutional amendment proposed by the 81st Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2009, to allow the Dallas County Hospital District and |
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Tarrant County Hospital District to expand their boundaries takes |
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effect. If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act |
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has no effect. |