HBA-NLM, TYH C.S.H.B. 3598 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3598
By: McClendon
Land & Resource Management
4/23/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

When notifications for proposed business establishments or development
projects are posted in a timely manner, a neighborhood organization can
contest and raise concerns regarding the proposal before construction of
the proposed business establishments or development projects begin.
However, Texas law does not presently provide for a uniform procedure for
notifying local authorities and residents of proposals for new land use.
The current notification process has sometimes been ineffective and some
communities do not discover the existence of new development projects or
businesses until projects are well underway.  C.S.H.B. 3598 amends the
current notification process to better inform the general public of the
intended use of property.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 11.391, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as follows:

Sec. 11.391.  NOTICE BY SIGN.  (a)  Requires an applicant for a permit
issued under this code, rather than an applicant for a mixed beverage
permit or a private club registration permit, for a location not previously
licensed for the on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages to, not
later than the 60th day before the date the application is filed, rather
than on the dates notice is required to be published under Section 11.39
(Applicant to Publish Notice), prominently post an outdoor sign at the
location stating that alcoholic beverages are intended to be served on the
premises, the type of permit, and the name and business address of the
applicant.  

(b)  Provides that the sign must be at least 24 by 36 inches in size and
must be written in lettering at least two inches in size, rather than
requires the sign to be in a manner and of a size the administrator
considers adequate to inform the general public of the intended use of the
property.  

(c) Provides that this section does not apply to an applicant for a permit
issued under specified chapters in this code.  Deletes text prohibiting an
application from being denied for failure to post notice and requiring an
applicant to comply with this section within a certain time period. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 61.381, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as follows:

Sec. 61.381.  NOTICE BY SIGN.  (a)  Requires an applicant for a license
issued under this code, rather than a  wine and beer retailer's permit or a
retail dealer's on-premise license,  for a location not previously licensed
for the on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages to, not later than
the 60th day before the date the application is filed, rather than on the
dates notice is required to be published under Section 61.38 (Notice of
Application), prominently post an outdoor sign at the location stating that
alcoholic beverages are intended to be served on the premises, the type of
license, and the name and business address of the applicant.   
 
(b)  Makes conforming changes.

(c) Provides that this section does not apply to an applicant for a license
issued under specified chapters of this code. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Chapter 243, Local Government Code, by adding Section
243.0075, as follows: 

Sec. 243.0075.  NOTICE BY SIGN.  (a)  Requires an applicant for a license
or permit issued under Section 243.007 (Licenses or Permits) for a location
not previously licensed or permitted to, not later than the 60th day before
the date the application is filed, prominently post an outdoor sign at the
location stating that a sexually oriented business is intended to be
located on the premises and providing the name and business address of the
applicant.   
 
(b)  Requires a person who intends to operate a sexually oriented business
in the jurisdiction of a municipality or county that does not require the
owner or operator of a sexually oriented business to obtain a license or
permit to, not later than the 60th day before the date the person intends
to begin operation of the business, prominently post an outdoor sign at the
location stating that a sexually oriented business is intended to be
located on the premises and providing the name and business address of the
owner and operator.  
 
(c)  Provides that the sign must be at least 24 by 36 inches in size and
must be written in lettering at least two inches in size.  Authorizes the
municipality or county in which the sexually oriented business is to be
located to require the sign to be both in English and a language other than
English if it is likely that a substantial number of the residents in the
area speak a language other than English as their familiar language.  

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 244.002,  Local Government Code, by amending
Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d), as follows: 

(a) Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes.

(d)  Requires an entity described by this section to prominently post an
outdoor sign at the proposed location of the correctional or rehabilitation
facility stating that a correctional or rehabilitation facility is intended
to be located on the premises and providing the name and business address
of the entity.  Provides that the sign must be at least 24 by 36 inches in
size and must be written in lettering at least two inches in size.
Authorizes the municipality or county in which the correctional or
rehabilitation facility is to be located to require the sign to be both in
English and a language other than English if it is likely that a
substantial number of the residents in the area speak a language other than
English as their familiar language. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 244.005, Local Government Code, to make
conforming changes. 

SECTION 6.  (a)  Provides that the changes in law made by this Act apply
only to: 

_an applicant for a license or permit issued under the Alcoholic Beverage
Code and an applicant for a license or permit for a sexually oriented
business issued under Section 243.007, Local Government Code, who files an
application on or after the effective date of this Act; 

_a person who intends to begin, on or after the effective date of this Act,
the operation of a sexually oriented business in the jurisdiction of a
municipality or county that does not require the owner or operator of a
sexually oriented business to obtain a license or permit; and 

_a person who proposes to construct or operate a correctional or
rehabilitation facility on or after the effective date of this Act.  
 
(b)  Provides that an applicant for a license or permit issued under the
Alcoholic Beverage Code and an applicant for a license or permit for a
sexually oriented business issued under Section 243.007, Local Government
Code, who files an application before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect when the application was filed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  
 
(c)  Provides that a person who begins, before the effective date of this
Act, the operation of a sexually oriented business in the jurisdiction of a
municipality or county that does not require the owner or operator of a
sexually oriented business to obtain a license or permit is governed by the
law in effect when the business began operation, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.  
 
(d)  Provides that a person who begins construction or operation of a
correctional or rehabilitation facility before the effective date of this
Act is governed by the law in effect when the construction or operation
began, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.   

SECTION 7.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 8.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3598 modifies the original in SECTION 1 (Section 11.391, Alcoholic
Beverage Code) by replacing the text for Subsection (c) to provide that
this section does not apply to an applicant for a permit issued under
specified chapters of this code. 

C.S.H.B. 3598 modifies the original in SECTION 2 (Section 61.381, Alcoholic
Beverage Code) by replacing text for Subsection (c) to provide that this
section does not apply to an applicant for a license issued under specified
chapters of this code. 

C.S.H.B. 3598 redesignates SECTION 5 (Section 244.002, Local Government
Code) of the original to SECTION 4 and reinstates text deleted from Section
244.002 by the original. The substitute redesignates SECTION 6 (proposed
language in Sections 244.003(a) and (b), Local Government Code) of the
original to Section 244.002(d) in SECTION 4 of the substitute. 

C.S.H.B. 3598 redesignates SECTION 7 of the original to SECTION 5 in the
substitute. The substitute makes nonsubstantive changes.   

C.S.H.B. 3598 redesignates SECTIONS 10-12 of the original to SECTIONS 6-8
in the substitute. 

C.S.H.B. 3598 removes the following proposed amendments in the original:

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 244.001,  Local Government Code, to delete the
definition of "residential area" and make conforming changes. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 244.002,  Local Government Code, to delete a
reference to the distance requirement of a proposed correctional or
rehabilitation facility and to require the posting of a notice, as required
by Section 224.003, stating that a correctional or rehabilitation facility
is intended to be located on the premises.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 244.003, Local Government Code, by changing the
heading of the section to "Notice by Sign" and deleting the language
"Proximity of Correctional or Rehabilitation Facility." Deletes text
authorizing the operation of a correctional or rehabilitation facility if
local consent is not denied under Section 244.004 (Local Consent). Deletes
text regarding the waiver of the distance requirement. 

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 244.006, Local Government Code, to delete
certain  conditions under which a correctional or rehabilitation facility
is exempt from the requirement of this chapter (Correctional or
Rehabilitation Facility Location).  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 9.  Repealer: Sections 244.002(c) and 244.004, Local Government
Code.  Section 244.002(c) pertains to the method by which distance is
measured, and Section 244.004 relates to local consent to the operation of
a correctional or rehabilitation facility.