84R22796 NC-D
	By: Alvarado	H.B. No. 2917

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the authority of certain municipalities to impose term
	limits on certain elected officials.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.   Subchapter C, Chapter 26, Local Government
	Code, is amended by adding Section 26.048 to read as follows:
	Sec. 26.048.  TERM LIMITS IN POPULOUS MUNICIPALITIES.  (a)
	This section applies only to a municipality with a population of 1.8
	million or more.
	(b)  In this section:
	(1)  "Governing body of a municipality" means the mayor
	and the council members of the municipality.
	(2)  "Municipal term limit" means a provision in a
	municipal charter or ordinance that imposes a limit on the number of
	terms or otherwise restricts the length of service a member of the
	governing body of a municipality may serve on the governing body or
	an elected controller of the municipality may serve as a
	controller.
	(c)  The governing body of a municipality shall order an
	election in the municipality on the question of imposing term
	limits of a maximum of two four-year terms on the members of the
	governing body of the municipality and the controller of the
	municipality.
	(d)  The ballot at the election must be printed to permit
	voting for or against the proposition: "Authorizing term limits
	consisting of not more than two four-year terms on a person's
	service as the mayor, a council member, or the controller of the
	City of (insert name of municipality)."
	(e)  If a majority of the votes received at the election
	favor the proposition, the number and length of terms a person may
	serve on the governing body or as the controller is limited to a
	maximum of two four-year terms.  The municipality shall amend the
	municipality's charter or ordinance to adjust the number and length
	of the terms of the members of the governing body and the controller
	as necessary to comply with the proposition.
	(f)  If less than a majority of the votes received at the
	election favor the proposition, municipal term limits and the
	length of the terms of the members of the governing body and the
	controller that existed before the election are not affected.
	(g)  A term limit authorized by this section applies only to
	members of the governing body of a municipality or a controller of a
	municipality elected at a general election held on or after
	November 5, 2019.
	(h)  In applying a term limit authorized by this section:
	(1)  a member of the governing body of a municipality or
	a controller of a municipality is eligible for election to another
	municipal office that the member of the governing body or
	controller has not previously held;
	(2)  the office of council member of the municipality,
	whether elected by district or at-large, is considered to be the
	same office;
	(3)  a person who was barred from election to a certain
	office by the municipality's charter or ordinance before November
	5, 2019, continues to be barred from election to the same office;
	(4)  a member of the governing body or a controller who
	is serving a first or second term as a member of the governing body
	or as the controller is eligible for election to serve one
	additional four-year term in the same office;
	(5)  a member of the governing body or a controller who
	is serving a third term as a member of the governing body or as the
	controller is not eligible for election to the same office;
	(6)  a term to which a member of the governing body or a
	controller was elected or appointed before the election held under
	Subsection (c) is counted only if the member or controller served
	one-half or more of the term; and
	(7)  a partial term to which a member of the governing
	body or a controller is elected or appointed on or after the date of
	the election held under Subsection (c) is counted only if the member
	or controller serves one-half or more of the term.
	(i)  This section expires January 1, 2020.
	SECTION 2.  If this Act takes effect immediately, the
	governing body of a municipality shall order an election as
	provided by Section 26.048, Local Government Code, as added by this
	Act, to be held on November 3, 2015. If this Act takes effect
	September 1, 2015, the governing body shall order an election as
	provided by that section to be held on November 7, 2017.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.