HBA-TBM H.B. 990 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 990
By: Dutton
Urban Affairs
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The cities of Houston and San Antonio have imposed term limits on their
elected municipal officials despite the fact that the election process
naturally imposes limitations on the service of city officials.  The term
limits have been adopted even though the limits do not necessarily solve
the problem of special interest influence on office holders and can deprive
a city of the valuable personal knowledge and experience that officials
gain from performing their duties.  House Bill 990 prohibits a municipal
term limit from disqualifying a person from holding or being a candidate
for an office on the governing body of a municipality with a population of
1.6 million or more.   

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 990 amends the Local Government Code to prohibit a municipal
term limit from being used to disqualify a person from holding or being a
candidate for an office on the governing body of a municipality with a
population of 1.6 million or more.  The bill includes the mayor of a
municipality in the definition of the "governing body of a municipality."   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.