Bill Text: TX SB280 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the creation and operation of a park and recreation district in a county with frontage on the San Marcos River and to the authority of the district to collect fees; providing penalties.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-16 - Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar [SB280 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB280-Engrossed.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 280 |
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relating to the creation and operation of a park and recreation | ||
district in a county with frontage on the San Marcos River and to | ||
the authority of the district to collect fees; providing penalties. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 10, Local Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Chapter 324A to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 324A. PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICTS IN COUNTIES WITH | ||
FRONTAGE ON SAN MARCOS RIVER | ||
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS | ||
Sec. 324A.001. ELIGIBLE COUNTIES. In a county that has | ||
river frontage on the San Marcos River and a population of more than | ||
35,000 but not more than 100,000, a district may be created for all | ||
or part of the unincorporated area in the county to: | ||
(1) improve, equip, maintain, finance, and operate any | ||
public park located in the district and owned or leased by the | ||
county; | ||
(2) conserve the natural resources in the district; | ||
and | ||
(3) improve the public health, safety, and welfare in | ||
the district. | ||
Sec. 324A.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
(1) "Board" means the board of directors of a park and | ||
recreation district. | ||
(2) "District" means a park and recreation district | ||
created under this chapter. | ||
(3) "District facility" includes any facility, land, | ||
or improvement to land, whether permanent or temporary, that is | ||
owned, leased, or acquired by the district. | ||
(4) "Fee" includes a toll or any other charge. | ||
(5) "Recreational vehicle" has the meaning assigned by | ||
Section 522.004(b), Transportation Code. | ||
(6) "Recreational vehicle park" means property on | ||
which utility service connections are made for recreational vehicle | ||
transient guest use and for which fees are paid at intervals of one | ||
day or longer. | ||
SUBCHAPTER B. CREATION OF PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT | ||
Sec. 324A.021. ORDER OF ELECTION. (a) The commissioners | ||
court of the county may order an election on the issue of the | ||
creation of a district: | ||
(1) on the commissioners court's own motion; or | ||
(2) after the filing of a written petition signed by a | ||
number of the registered voters who reside in the county equal to at | ||
least five percent of the votes received in the county in the most | ||
recent gubernatorial general election. | ||
(b) The petition or commissioners court's motion must | ||
include: | ||
(1) the name of the proposed district; | ||
(2) an accurate description of the area to be included | ||
in the district by metes and bounds and by public roads or | ||
rights-of-way; and | ||
(3) an accurate plat of the area to be included in the | ||
district. | ||
Sec. 324A.022. NOTICE OF HEARING. (a) After the filing of | ||
the petition, the commissioners court shall set a date for a hearing | ||
on the petition that is after the 20th day but on or before the 40th | ||
day after the date the petition is filed. | ||
(b) The commissioners court shall publish notice of the | ||
petition and the hearing date in a newspaper of general circulation | ||
in the county. | ||
(c) The notice must be published once each week for a period | ||
of two weeks before the hearing date. | ||
Sec. 324A.023. HEARING. (a) At the hearing, evidence | ||
shall be taken as in civil cases in the county court. The | ||
commissioners court shall hear all arguments for and against the | ||
creation of the district. | ||
(b) The hearing may be adjourned from time to time on good | ||
cause shown. | ||
(c) The commissioners court shall grant the petition and | ||
order the election on the issue of the creation of the district if | ||
the court finds that: | ||
(1) the petition is signed by the required number of | ||
registered voters in the county; | ||
(2) the district will serve the purposes prescribed by | ||
Section 324A.001; and | ||
(3) the district does not include any incorporated | ||
area. | ||
Sec. 324A.024. CREATION ELECTION. (a) The election shall | ||
be held on the date of the first regularly scheduled countywide | ||
election that follows the date of the order of the election and for | ||
which there is sufficient time to comply with other requirements of | ||
law. | ||
(b) The returns on the election shall be certified and the | ||
results declared in the same manner as provided for other county | ||
elections. If a majority of the votes received on the issue favor | ||
creation of the district, the commissioners court shall declare the | ||
district created and shall enter the results in the commissioners | ||
court's minutes at the commissioners court's next regularly | ||
scheduled meeting. | ||
Sec. 324A.025. COSTS OF CREATION AND ORGANIZATION. The | ||
costs necessarily incurred in the creation and organization of the | ||
district may be paid from the district's revenue from any source. | ||
SUBCHAPTER C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT | ||
Sec. 324A.041. COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT OF BOARD. | ||
(a) A district is governed by a board composed of seven members. | ||
(b) The commissioners court shall appoint the members of the | ||
board. | ||
(c) A board member must be a citizen of the United States and | ||
must reside in the county. Four of the board members must reside, | ||
own property, or own a business in the district. One board member | ||
must live outside the district. | ||
(d) A board member may not be an officer or employee of the | ||
county in which the district is created or of a municipality in that | ||
county. | ||
(e) Three members of the initial board serve one-year terms | ||
and four members serve two-year terms. The members shall draw lots | ||
to determine who serves the one-year terms. Thereafter, each | ||
director is appointed for a term of two years from the date of the | ||
director's appointment. | ||
(f) If a vacancy occurs on the board, the commissioners | ||
court shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the unexpired | ||
term. | ||
(g) The commissioners court shall file a certificate of the | ||
appointment of each board member with the county clerk. The | ||
certificate is conclusive evidence of the proper appointment of the | ||
board member. | ||
(h) A board member may not serve more than four consecutive | ||
full terms. | ||
Sec. 324A.042. OATH AND BOND. (a) Not later than the 30th | ||
day after the date a board member is appointed, the member must | ||
qualify by taking the official oath and by filing a good and | ||
sufficient bond with the county clerk. | ||
(b) The bond must be: | ||
(1) payable to the order of the commissioners court; | ||
(2) payable in an amount prescribed by the | ||
commissioners court of $5,000 or more; and | ||
(3) conditioned that the board member will faithfully | ||
perform the duties of a board member, including the proper handling | ||
of all money that comes into the board member's hands in the board | ||
member's official capacity. | ||
Sec. 324A.043. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A board | ||
member is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to | ||
reimbursement for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, | ||
incurred in performing the duties of a board member. A board | ||
member's reimbursement for necessary expenses in excess of $250 | ||
must be approved by the commissioners court. A board member's | ||
approved expense account shall be paid in due time by the board's | ||
check or warrant. | ||
Sec. 324A.044. QUORUM; MAJORITY VOTE. Four board members | ||
constitute a quorum of the board. The board may act on the majority | ||
of the vote of the assembled quorum. | ||
Sec. 324A.045. APPROVAL OF COMMISSIONERS COURT. (a) The | ||
board is subject to the supervision of the commissioners court in | ||
the exercise of all the board's rights, powers, and privileges and | ||
in the performance of the board's duties. | ||
(b) Not later than the 30th day after the date the board | ||
acts, the commissioners court may approve or disapprove the board's | ||
action. If the court disapproves the act, the act is ineffective. | ||
Otherwise, the act becomes effective on the earlier of the date the | ||
commissioners court approves the act or the 31st day after the date | ||
the board acted. | ||
Sec. 324A.046. ORGANIZATION; MEETINGS. (a) Annually, the | ||
board shall elect a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a | ||
treasurer, except that the first president shall be designated by | ||
the commissioners court at the time of the appointment of the first | ||
board. | ||
(b) The offices of secretary and treasurer may be held by | ||
the same person. If either the secretary or the treasurer is absent | ||
or unavailable, the president may appoint another board member to | ||
act for and perform the duties of the absent or unavailable officer. | ||
(c) The board shall set times for and hold regular meetings. | ||
On the request of two or more board members, the board may hold a | ||
special meeting at other times as necessary. | ||
(d) The board shall hold meetings at a public place in a | ||
county in which at least part of the district is located. | ||
SUBCHAPTER D. POWERS AND DUTIES | ||
Sec. 324A.061. DEPOSITORIES AND DISBURSEMENTS. (a) Money | ||
and other funds belonging to or under control of the board are | ||
public funds. | ||
(b) The board shall select depositories for the money. | ||
(c) A warrant or check for the withdrawal of money must be | ||
signed by two persons authorized to sign a warrant or check by | ||
resolution entered in the board's minutes. | ||
Sec. 324A.062. PERSONNEL. (a) The board may employ a | ||
manager, secretary, stenographer, bookkeeper, accountant, and | ||
technical expert and any other support personnel or agent the board | ||
considers necessary. | ||
(b) The board shall determine the qualifications and set the | ||
duties of employees. | ||
(c) The board may call on the county attorney, district | ||
attorney, or criminal district attorney for the legal services the | ||
board requires. The board may contract for and compensate the | ||
board's own legal staff. | ||
Sec. 324A.063. SEAL. The board shall adopt a seal to place | ||
on each lease, deed, or other instrument usually executed under | ||
seal and on other instruments as the board requires. | ||
Sec. 324A.064. CONTRACTS. (a) The board may enter into | ||
any contract that the board considers necessary or convenient to | ||
carry out the purposes and powers granted by this chapter, | ||
including a lease or other contract connected with, incident to, or | ||
affecting the acquisition, financing, construction, equipment, | ||
maintenance, renovation, repair, improvement, or operation of real | ||
property or facilities. | ||
(b) If the contract is for an amount less than or equal to | ||
the amount prescribed by Section 262.023, the board may enter into | ||
the contract without advertisement. If the contract is for more | ||
than that amount, the contract is subject to the bidding provisions | ||
applicable to county contracts. | ||
(c) To be effective, a contract must be: | ||
(1) approved by board resolution; | ||
(2) executed by the president or vice president; and | ||
(3) attested by the secretary or treasurer. | ||
Sec. 324A.065. SUITS. The board may sue and be sued in the | ||
board's own name. | ||
Sec. 324A.066. DISTRICT RULES AND ORDINANCES; CRIMINAL | ||
PENALTY; CIVIL ENFORCEMENT. (a) The board may adopt reasonable | ||
rules and ordinances applicable to: | ||
(1) the administration, enforcement, and collection | ||
of district fees and the issuance, suspension, and cancellation of | ||
revenue permits; | ||
(2) littering and litter abatement on public water in | ||
the district, including the possession and disposition of plastic | ||
containers of not more than two ounces and glass containers; | ||
(3) activities that endanger the health and safety of | ||
persons or property on public water in the district, subject to the | ||
public's paramount right to navigate inland water; and | ||
(4) tenants, business privileges, concessionaires, | ||
users, and activities affecting district property and facilities, | ||
including hunting, fishing, boating, camping, tubing, swimming, | ||
and conservation of natural resources. | ||
(b) The board may not prohibit the possession of 12-ounce | ||
aluminum cans. | ||
(c) A police officer, constable, sheriff, or other law | ||
enforcement officer with jurisdiction in the county may arrest | ||
persons violating board rules or ordinances and carry out the | ||
prosecution of those persons in the proper court. | ||
(d) A person who violates a rule or ordinance adopted under | ||
this section commits an offense. An offense under this subsection | ||
is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by: | ||
(1) a fine not to exceed $500 for a violation of a rule | ||
or ordinance not described by Subsection (a)(2); and | ||
(2) a fine not to exceed $1,000 for a violation of a | ||
rule or ordinance described by Subsection (a)(2). | ||
(e) The county attorney, the district attorney, the | ||
criminal district attorney, or an attorney retained by the board | ||
for this purpose may bring an action to enjoin a violation of board | ||
rules or ordinances and, if the board authorizes, may seek damages | ||
and attorney's fees based on the violation, if the violation | ||
involves: | ||
(1) the providing or offering of a service or the use | ||
or rental of a facility or an item for remuneration by a person who | ||
does not hold a revenue permit issued by the district or for which | ||
collection of a fee is required; | ||
(2) the failure of a revenue permit holder to remit a | ||
fee imposed if the fee has been due for more than 60 days; or | ||
(3) the violation by a revenue permit holder of a | ||
district rule or ordinance relating to an activity that endangers | ||
the health or safety of a person or property in the district. | ||
Sec. 324A.067. BOND. If the board brings an action to | ||
enforce this subchapter or enjoin a violation of a rule or ordinance | ||
adopted by the board under this subchapter, the board is not | ||
required to post a bond. | ||
Sec. 324A.068. POWER TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY. (a) For the | ||
conservation of the natural resources of the county, the board may | ||
acquire land in the county, in or outside the district, including a | ||
stream, a lake, submerged land, and swampland, to create parks. The | ||
board may develop, improve, protect, and promote the land in a | ||
manner the board considers conducive to the general welfare. | ||
(b) The land may be acquired by: | ||
(1) gift or devise; | ||
(2) lump-sum payment; or | ||
(3) installment payments with or without option to | ||
purchase. | ||
(c) The district does not have the power of eminent domain. | ||
(d) The commissioners court by eminent domain may not | ||
acquire land for park purposes after August 31, 2013, and | ||
subsequently transfer by any means the land or control of the land | ||
to the board for park purposes or other purposes. If the | ||
commissioners court by eminent domain acquires land for purposes | ||
other than park purposes after August 31, 2013, the court may not | ||
transfer by any means the land or control of the land to the board | ||
for park purposes or other purposes before the 10th anniversary of | ||
the date the court acquired the land. | ||
Sec. 324A.069. SALE OR LEASE OF LANDS. (a) If the board | ||
determines that any land owned by the district is not necessary for | ||
the purposes for which the land was acquired, the board may sell and | ||
dispose of the land on terms the board considers advisable. | ||
(b) The board may lease or permit the use of land for | ||
purposes consistent with the purposes for which the land was | ||
acquired and on terms the board considers advisable. | ||
(c) Before land owned by the district may be sold, once a | ||
week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general | ||
circulation in the county, the board must publish a notice of the | ||
board's intention to sell the land. The notice must include an | ||
accurate description of the land, the time of a public hearing that | ||
is not later than the 10th day before the disposition date, and the | ||
time and place at which sealed bids will be received. | ||
Sec. 324A.070. GRANTS AND GRATUITIES. To promote, | ||
establish, or accomplish a purpose of this chapter, the board may: | ||
(1) accept grants and gratuities in any form from any | ||
source, including the United States government, this state, any | ||
state or federal agency, any private or public corporation, or any | ||
other person; | ||
(2) accept donations of money or other property; and | ||
(3) act as trustee of land, money, or other property. | ||
Sec. 324A.071. COOPERATION WITH OTHER PUBLIC AUTHORITIES. | ||
Under an agreement with a public authority in control of parkland in | ||
the county, the district may assume control of all or part of the | ||
parkland in the district or contiguous to the district or may | ||
contract or cooperate with the public authority in connection with | ||
the use, development, improvement, and protection of the parkland. | ||
Sec. 324A.072. IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC HIGHWAY. The board | ||
may enter into an agreement with a public authority in control of a | ||
highway in a park area or connecting two or more park areas to make | ||
alterations in the route or width of the highway or to grade, drain, | ||
pave, or otherwise improve the highway. | ||
Sec. 324A.073. PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PARKS; ANNUAL | ||
BUDGET; FILING. (a) The board shall develop and approve a | ||
three-year master plan for capital development and the development | ||
of parks and district facilities. | ||
(b) The board shall annually review and revise the master | ||
plan during the budget process and shall file a copy of the master | ||
plan and revisions with the county clerk. | ||
(c) The board shall annually develop and approve a one-year | ||
budget that must include the suggested revisions and additions to | ||
the master plan. | ||
(d) The board shall submit the annual budget to the | ||
commissioners court for approval and shall file a copy with the | ||
county clerk. | ||
Sec. 324A.074. PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS ON LAND WITH RIVER | ||
FRONTAGE. (a) The district may not purchase a river access | ||
location except for use as: | ||
(1) a sanitary facility; | ||
(2) a litter receptacle; | ||
(3) a drinking water facility; | ||
(4) a parking lot; | ||
(5) a road or trail; | ||
(6) a river ingress or egress facility; | ||
(7) an information booth; | ||
(8) a fee collection facility; | ||
(9) a visitor's center; or | ||
(10) a district office. | ||
(b) At a river access location permitted under this section, | ||
the district may not engage in any activity that competes with | ||
private enterprise except for the provision and operation of a | ||
permanent improvement permitted under this section. | ||
(c) Subject to the restrictions provided by Section | ||
324A.068(d), the district may accept as a grant, gratuity, gift, or | ||
devise land with river access and any improvement that may exist on | ||
the land at the time of the gift. | ||
SUBCHAPTER E. FEES AND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS | ||
Sec. 324A.091. NO AD VALOREM TAXES OR BONDS. The district | ||
may not impose an ad valorem tax or issue a bond. | ||
Sec. 324A.092. FEES FOR USE OF DISTRICT FACILITY. (a) The | ||
board may charge or require the payment of a fee for the use of a | ||
district facility except a drinking water or sanitary facility. | ||
(b) A fee assessed under this section must be equal and | ||
uniform within classes defined by the board. | ||
(c) Except as provided by a contract entered into by the | ||
board, the board may determine the rate of fees charged for the use, | ||
operation, or lease of district facilities, services, or equipment. | ||
The fees must be in amounts that will produce revenue at least | ||
sufficient to pay the expenses of operating and maintaining | ||
district facilities. | ||
Sec. 324A.093. FINANCIAL STATEMENT; BUDGET. (a) On or | ||
before February 1 of each year, the board shall prepare and file | ||
with the officer responsible for the county budget a complete | ||
financial statement showing the financial status of the district | ||
and the district's properties, funds, and indebtedness. | ||
(b) The financial statement must be prepared in accordance | ||
with standards adopted by the Governmental Accounting Standards | ||
Board and must show separately all information concerning: | ||
(1) leases, promissory notes, and other indebtedness | ||
of the district; and | ||
(2) fee revenue of the district. | ||
(c) At the time the financial statement is filed, the board | ||
shall file with the commissioners court a proposed budget of the | ||
board's needs for the next fiscal year. The proposed budget shall | ||
include items that: | ||
(1) the board is unable to finance from the district's | ||
revenues; and | ||
(2) the board requests purchase of with county funds. | ||
(d) The officer responsible for the county budget shall | ||
include the district's proposed budget on the calendar for the next | ||
regularly scheduled meeting of the commissioners court. As part of | ||
the county's tentative budget, the items certified by the board are | ||
subject to state law relating to county budgets. | ||
(e) The county auditor may conduct a general audit and issue | ||
a financial statement of the district at times the auditor | ||
considers appropriate. | ||
(f) The board shall operate the parks and facilities under | ||
the board's control in a manner that will produce revenue at least | ||
sufficient to pay the expenses of operating and maintaining the | ||
district's parks and facilities without seeking from the | ||
commissioners court the appropriation of additional money for those | ||
expenses. | ||
Sec. 324A.094. IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF FEES; CRIMINAL | ||
PENALTY. (a) The district may collect fees and issue revenue | ||
permits within the district to carry out any purposes prescribed by | ||
this chapter and to pay the obligations of the district. | ||
(b) The district may collect only the following fees: | ||
(1) a fee, at a rate not greater than five percent | ||
established by board resolution, imposed on each person who, under | ||
a lease, concession, permit, right of access, license, contract, or | ||
agreement, pays $1 or more: | ||
(A) for each day to rent a camping space, picnic | ||
space, or parking space, if the space is not part of a recreational | ||
vehicle park; | ||
(B) for each day to rent a boat slip, dry boat | ||
storage, or fishing tackle; | ||
(C) for each day of recreational guide services; | ||
or | ||
(D) for an initiation or membership fee of a | ||
private club or organization that provides water-oriented | ||
recreational equipment for use to a member; and | ||
(2) a fee imposed by board resolution at a rate not | ||
greater than $1 a person: | ||
(A) for each rental of water-oriented | ||
recreational equipment, including a canoe, tube, raft, boat, or | ||
kayak, intended for use on a river in the district; or | ||
(B) if the person does not rent equipment | ||
described by Paragraph (A), for each person using shuttle service | ||
in the district, including for river ingress and egress. | ||
(c) A fee imposed under this section is payable by the | ||
purchaser or consumer of the item subject to the fee, except that, | ||
if the person responsible for collecting the fee does not comply | ||
with this chapter by collecting and remitting the fee to the | ||
district, the person responsible for collecting the fee is liable | ||
for the fee. | ||
(d) A person who does not hold a revenue permit issued by the | ||
board may not provide or offer for remuneration a service, a use of | ||
a facility, or a rental of an item if the price paid for the service, | ||
use, or rental is subject to a fee under this section. A person who | ||
holds a revenue permit issued by the district shall collect the fees | ||
imposed under this section and shall report and remit the collected | ||
fees to the district as the district requires. | ||
(e) If a revenue permit holder remits fees after the due | ||
date but on or before the 30th day after the due date, the revenue | ||
permit holder shall pay the district a penalty of five percent of | ||
the amount of fees due. If the revenue permit holder remits the | ||
fees after the 30th day after the due date, the revenue permit | ||
holder shall pay the district a penalty of 10 percent of the amount | ||
of fees due. | ||
(f) Delinquent fees and accrued penalties draw interest at | ||
the rate of 10 percent a year beginning on the 60th day after the | ||
date the fees were due. | ||
(g) If a revenue permit holder does not collect and remit a | ||
fee imposed, the board may suspend, revoke, or cancel the holder's | ||
revenue permit and pursue any other remedy the district may have to | ||
collect the fee under civil or criminal law. | ||
(h) A person who violates Subsection (d) commits an offense | ||
if the person rents or offers for rent an item subject to a fee under | ||
this section. Each provision or offer for remuneration of the | ||
service, use, or rental is a separate offense. An offense under | ||
this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor unless it is shown at the | ||
trial of the defendant that the defendant has previously been | ||
convicted of an offense under this subsection, in which case the | ||
offense is a Class B misdemeanor. | ||
(i) In the same manner that this section applies to a person | ||
who provides or offers a service, a use of a facility, or a rental of | ||
an item in the district, this section applies to a person who | ||
resides or does business outside the district but: | ||
(1) provides or offers recreational guide or shuttle | ||
services or the rental of water-oriented recreational equipment in | ||
the district; and | ||
(2) regularly transports customers into or out of the | ||
district for river or parking access. | ||
(j) The board may settle a claim for a penalty or interest | ||
accrued on a fee imposed by this chapter if the board finds that the | ||
revenue permit holder exercised reasonable diligence to comply with | ||
this chapter. | ||
(k) The district may impose different fee rates for | ||
different types of services or rental items described by Subsection | ||
(b)(2). A fee rate may not exceed the maximum rate provided by that | ||
subdivision. | ||
Sec. 324A.095. FEE EXEMPTION. The district may not collect | ||
a fee on a transaction between a person and an interest operated by: | ||
(1) the United States in the district; or | ||
(2) a state park in the district. | ||
Sec. 324A.096. DISPOSITION OF REVENUE. In addition to any | ||
other purpose or obligation of a district, a district may use | ||
district fee revenue and other revenue for: | ||
(1) acquisition of a right-of-way that leads to or is | ||
in the district; | ||
(2) construction, improvement, or maintenance of a | ||
road that leads to or is in the district; | ||
(3) the provision of law enforcement, emergency | ||
medical services, or fire protection in the district; | ||
(4) programs to improve the water quality and sanitary | ||
conditions in the district; | ||
(5) other programs that promote water-oriented | ||
recreation in the district; | ||
(6) a contribution to the county's general fund in the | ||
event that the board finds it has excess revenues; | ||
(7) acquiring insurance for the district; | ||
(8) hiring necessary personnel as provided by Section | ||
324A.062; | ||
(9) the construction of facilities to house district | ||
personnel and equipment; | ||
(10) the leasing of property as necessary to benefit | ||
the district; and | ||
(11) any other lawful purpose for the benefit of the | ||
district. | ||
Sec. 324A.097. REPLACEMENT FUND. (a) The board may | ||
establish a replacement fund. The board may deposit in the fund any | ||
amounts from board revenue that the board considers appropriate. | ||
(b) The replacement fund may be used to rebuild, restore, | ||
repair, or improve district property that is destroyed or injured | ||
or as necessary to expand, improve, demolish, repair, or replace | ||
district property because of unfitness. | ||
(c) The board may invest the replacement fund in bonds of | ||
the United States, this state, or a county, municipal corporation, | ||
or school district of this state. | ||
SUBCHAPTER F. ANNEXATION; INCORPORATION; DISSOLUTION | ||
Sec. 324A.121. ANNEXATION. (a) The voters of an | ||
unincorporated area that is contiguous to a district may file a | ||
petition with the board to annex the area to the district. | ||
(b) The petition must contain an accurate description of the | ||
area proposed for annexation, accompanied by an accurate map or | ||
plat of the area. | ||
(c) The petition must be signed by at least one percent of | ||
the registered voters in the area proposed for annexation. | ||
(d) If the board considers the proposed annexation | ||
desirable, the board shall file the petition with the commissioners | ||
court with a statement of the reasons the board favors the | ||
annexation. | ||
(e) The commissioners court shall give notice of a hearing | ||
on the petition and hold a hearing in the manner prescribed by | ||
Sections 324A.022 and 324A.023 for a petition for creation of a | ||
district. | ||
(f) The commissioners court may grant the petition if the | ||
commissioners court finds the petition meets the requirements of | ||
this section and the annexation promotes the purposes for which the | ||
district was created. | ||
Sec. 324A.122. EFFECT OF INCORPORATION OR ANNEXATION. The | ||
incorporation of a political subdivision or the annexation of any | ||
part of a park and recreation district by a political subdivision | ||
does not affect the district's boundaries. | ||
Sec. 324A.123. DISANNEXATION. (a) The voters of or county | ||
commissioners for any area in a district may file a petition with | ||
the board to disannex the area from the district. | ||
(b) The petition must contain an accurate description of the | ||
area proposed for disannexation, accompanied by an accurate map or | ||
plat of the area. | ||
(c) The petition must be signed by at least one percent of | ||
the registered voters in the area proposed for disannexation or by | ||
each county commissioner for the area proposed for disannexation. | ||
(d) The board shall file the petition with the commissioners | ||
court if: | ||
(1) the district has not acquired or constructed a | ||
permanent improvement or facility in the area proposed for | ||
disannexation; and | ||
(2) the district's projected revenue from all sources, | ||
except from the area proposed for disannexation, is sufficient to | ||
pay the district's outstanding debts. | ||
(e) The commissioners court shall give notice of a hearing | ||
on the petition and hold a hearing in the manner prescribed by | ||
Sections 324A.022 and 324A.023 for a petition for creation of a | ||
district. | ||
(f) The commissioners court by order may grant the petition | ||
if the commissioners court finds that: | ||
(1) the petition meets the requirements of this | ||
section; | ||
(2) the conditions listed in Subsection (d) exist; and | ||
(3) the disannexation is in the county's best | ||
interests. | ||
(g) The disannexation takes effect on the date stated by the | ||
order or, if the order does not state a date, on the date the order | ||
is issued. | ||
Sec. 324A.124. DISSOLUTION OF DISTRICT. (a) The | ||
commissioners court by order may dissolve a district. The order may | ||
be adopted: | ||
(1) on the commissioners court's own motion; or | ||
(2) after the filing of a written petition signed by a | ||
number of the registered voters who reside in the district equal to | ||
at least 10 percent of the votes received in the district in the | ||
most recent gubernatorial general election. | ||
(b) The commissioners court shall give notice of a hearing | ||
on the petition and hold a hearing in the manner prescribed by | ||
Sections 324A.022 and 324A.023 for a petition for creation of a | ||
district. | ||
(c) The commissioners court shall grant the petition and | ||
order the dissolution of the district if the court finds that the | ||
petition meets the requirements of this section and that the | ||
dissolution is in the county's best interests. | ||
(d) On dissolution of the district, the county assumes the | ||
district's property and other assets, debts and other liabilities, | ||
and obligations. | ||
SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS | ||
Sec. 324A.901. REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTAL OF WATER-ORIENTED | ||
RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT. (a) This section applies only to the | ||
rental of water-oriented recreational equipment in a district. | ||
(b) A person may rent water-oriented recreational equipment | ||
only if each person who will use the equipment is listed on a | ||
written agreement for the rental of that equipment. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |