BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 774

By: Walle

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Noise levels in residential areas of Texas continue to cause a threat to public health, safety, and welfare. Many counties across the state do not have the authority to regulate noise in their unincorporated areas. While legislation attempting to solve this problem has been presented in recent years, it has failed to become law. Despite these unsuccessful efforts, there have been repeated calls from Harris County to expand noise regulation and enforcement to areas outside of county jurisdictions. H.B. 774 seeks to address this issue by authorizing Harris County to regulate the level of noise emanating from residential areas in the unincorporated area of the county.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 774 amends the Local Government Code to authorize the commissioners court of a county with a population of more than 3.3 million, for purposes of promoting public health, safety, and welfare, by order to regulate the level of noise emanating from a residence located in a residential area in the unincorporated area of the county. The bill creates a Class C misdemeanor offense for a person who violates such an order.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.