HBA-CMT H.B. 3193 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3193
By: Puente
Urban Affairs
4/5/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

With the release of Census 2000 data, official population counts in some
large urban areas have increased dramatically.  This fact raises several
public policy concerns. First, a large number of constituents in a city
council district may make it difficult for each council member to
effectively represent their constituents. Second, each district must retain
equal populations to support the constitutional law concept of one
personone vote.  Lastly, without redrawing district lines to ensure that
each ethnic group is equally represented, a city could violate the Voting
Rights Act and face federal government intervention.  House Bill 3193
authorizes certain municipalities to increase by ordinance the number of
single-member governing body districts to a maximum of 14.  

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3193 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a
municipality with a population of 1.2 million or more that elects each
member of its governing body, from single-member districts to provide by
ordinance for the  number of districts used to elect members to the
municipality's governing body.  The bill prohibits the ordinance from
providing for more than 14 districts.  The bill does not affect a mayor who
under a charter provision is elected in a municipality at-large. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.