Bill Text: TX SB740 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the acquisition of property by an entity with eminent domain authority.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-09 - Referred to Land & Resource Management [SB740 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB740-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the acquisition of property by an entity with eminent domain authority.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-09 - Referred to Land & Resource Management [SB740 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB740-Introduced.html
85R4643 PMO-F | ||
By: Kolkhorst | S.B. No. 740 |
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relating to the acquisition of property by an entity with eminent | ||
domain authority. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 21.0111, Property Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: | ||
(a-1) After making an offer to which Subsection (a) applies, | ||
the entity shall disclose to the property owner any new, amended, or | ||
updated appraisal report produced or acquired by or on behalf of the | ||
entity after making the offer and used in determining the entity's | ||
opinion of value. A disclosure required by this subsection must be | ||
made not later than the earlier of: | ||
(1) the 10th day after the date the entity receives the | ||
appraisal report; or | ||
(2) the third business day before the date of a special | ||
commissioner's hearing if the appraisal report is to be used at the | ||
hearing. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 21.0113, Property Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: | ||
(c) For purposes of this section, the deed, easement, or | ||
other instrument provided under Subsection (b)(6)(B) must include: | ||
(1) for a pipeline right-of-way easement: | ||
(A) the maximum number of pipelines that may be | ||
installed in the right-of-way; | ||
(B) a reasonable description of any use of the | ||
surface of the right-of-way that the entity intends to acquire; | ||
(C) a metes and bounds or center line description | ||
of the location of the easement; | ||
(D) the width of the easement; | ||
(E) a reservation of the property owner's right | ||
to grant additional compatible easements in the easement area to | ||
other parties; | ||
(F) a requirement that the entity access the | ||
easement area in a manner specified in the instrument; | ||
(G) a right to damages arising from construction, | ||
maintenance, repair, replacement, or future removal of the pipeline | ||
in the easement, including any damages to growing crops or | ||
livestock; | ||
(H) a covenant to lock and close all gates and | ||
fences as necessary to prevent damage to or destruction of | ||
livestock; and | ||
(I) a covenant to repair and restore areas used | ||
or damaged outside the easement area to their original condition or | ||
better; | ||
(2) for an electrical transmission right-of-way | ||
easement: | ||
(A) the type, spacing, and maximum number of the | ||
poles, towers, or other support apparatus to carry electrical lines | ||
over the easement; | ||
(B) a reasonable description of any use of the | ||
surface of the right-of-way that the entity intends to acquire; | ||
(C) a metes and bounds or center line description | ||
of the location of the easement; | ||
(D) the width of the easement; | ||
(E) a requirement that the entity access the | ||
easement area in a manner specified in the instrument; | ||
(F) a right to damages arising from construction, | ||
maintenance, repair, replacement, or future removal of lines and | ||
support apparatus in the easement, including any damages to growing | ||
crops or livestock; | ||
(G) a covenant to lock and close all gates and | ||
fences as necessary to prevent damage to or destruction of | ||
livestock; and | ||
(H) a covenant to repair and restore areas used | ||
or damaged outside the easement area to their original condition or | ||
better; | ||
(3) a prohibition against any use of the property | ||
being conveyed, other than a use stated in the instrument, without | ||
the express written consent of the property owner; | ||
(4) a covenant that the entity will indemnify and hold | ||
the property owner harmless against any claim brought against the | ||
property owner arising out of or relating to the use of condemned | ||
property by the entity or the entity's agents or contractors; and | ||
(5) a covenant that the entity will secure and keep in | ||
full force and effect at all times while the entity continues to use | ||
the condemned property a policy or policies of liability insurance: | ||
(A) issued by an insurer authorized to issue such | ||
policies in this state; | ||
(B) insuring the property owner against | ||
liability for personal injuries and property damage sustained by | ||
any person that arises from or is related to the use of the property | ||
by the entity or the entity's agents or contractors; | ||
(C) naming the property owner or the owner's | ||
successor in title as an insured; and | ||
(D) providing limits of liability as specified in | ||
the instrument. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 21.047, Property Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: | ||
(a-1) If the amount of damages awarded by the special | ||
commissioners is at least 20 percent greater than the amount of the | ||
condemnor's final offer made in accordance with Section 21.0113 or | ||
if the commissioners' award is appealed and a court awards damages | ||
in an amount that is at least 20 percent greater than the amount of | ||
the condemnor's final offer made in accordance with Section | ||
21.0113, the condemnor shall pay: | ||
(1) all costs as provided by Subsection (a); and | ||
(2) any reasonable attorney's fees and other | ||
professional fees incurred by the property owner in connection with | ||
the eminent domain proceeding. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 21.063, Property Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: | ||
(c) As a condition of appealing the decision of a trial | ||
court in a condemnation proceeding, a nongovernmental condemnor | ||
shall: | ||
(1) pay to the property owner the amount of just | ||
compensation awarded by the trial court; | ||
(2) deposit that same amount with the court subject to | ||
the order of the property owner; or | ||
(3) post a surety bond in the same amount issued by a | ||
surety company authorized to engage in business in this state, | ||
conditioned to secure the payment of the trial court's award of just | ||
compensation. | ||
(d) If the property owner moves to enforce Subsection (c) | ||
and the nongovernmental condemnor fails to comply with that | ||
subsection before the 30th day after the date the property owner's | ||
motion is filed: | ||
(1) the court of appeals shall dismiss the appeal with | ||
prejudice and order enforcement of the final judgment; | ||
(2) the nongovernmental condemnor and its assigns | ||
shall lose the right to remain on the property owner's property, and | ||
any interest of the nongovernmental condemnor or its assigns in the | ||
property reverts to the property owner; and | ||
(3) the property owner is entitled to: | ||
(A) any damages attributable to the | ||
nongovernmental condemnor's occupation of the property; | ||
(B) all reasonable expenses incurred to | ||
remediate the property; and | ||
(C) all reasonable and necessary fees for | ||
attorneys, appraisers, photographers, and other experts hired in | ||
relation to the condemnation. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 26.11(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a) If the federal government, the state, or a political | ||
subdivision of the state acquires the right to possession of | ||
taxable property under a court order issued in condemnation | ||
proceedings, assumes possession of taxable property under a | ||
possession and use agreement, or a similar agreement, that is | ||
entered into under threat of condemnation, or acquires title to | ||
taxable property, the amount of the tax due on the property is | ||
calculated by multiplying the amount of taxes imposed on the | ||
property for the entire year as determined as provided by Section | ||
26.09 of this code by a fraction, the denominator of which is 365 | ||
and the numerator of which is the number of days that elapsed prior | ||
to the date of the conveyance, the effective date of the agreement, | ||
or the date of the order granting the right of possession, as | ||
applicable. | ||
SECTION 6. (a) Sections 21.0111 and 21.0113, Property | ||
Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to the acquisition of real | ||
property in connection with an initial offer made under Section | ||
21.0113, Property Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
An acquisition of real property in connection with an initial offer | ||
made under Section 21.0113, Property Code, before the effective | ||
date of this Act is governed by the law applicable to the | ||
acquisition immediately before the effective date of this Act, and | ||
that law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
(b) Section 21.047, Property Code, as amended by this Act, | ||
applies only to an eminent domain proceeding commenced on or after | ||
the effective date of this Act. An eminent domain proceeding | ||
commenced before the effective date of this Act is governed by the | ||
law applicable to the proceeding immediately before the effective | ||
date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that | ||
purpose. | ||
(c) Section 21.063, Property Code, as amended by this Act, | ||
applies only to an appeal commenced on or after the effective date | ||
of this Act. An appeal commenced before the effective date of this | ||
Act is governed by the law applicable to the appeal immediately | ||
before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in | ||
effect for that purpose. | ||
(d) Section 26.11, Tax Code, as amended by this Act, applies | ||
only to an agreement entered into on or after the effective date of | ||
this Act. An agreement entered into before the effective date of | ||
this Act is governed by the law applicable to the agreement | ||
immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is | ||
continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |