Local Government:


SB 57:           
Prioritize Property Tax Disputes: Provides appraisal districts and school districts with a clearer picture of their expected tax revenues by giving ad valorem tax disputes priority and expedited status in local district courts of counties with fewer that 675,000 persons. (House sponsor: Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen); Effective 9/1/07.

SB 63:            
Jim Hogg County Ordinance Authority: Helps Jim Hogg County offer more efficient county services and prevent the proliferation of colonias by providing the county with the same authority as general-law municipalities. (House sponsor: Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville); Effective immediately.

SB 404:          
Bee County Groundwater Conservation District: Codifies the statutory authority of the Bee County Groundwater Conservation District. (House sponsor: Rep. Yvonne González Tourielles, D-Alice); Effective immediately.

SB 1236         
Starr County Hospital District: Update the Starr County Hospital District's enabling legislation to revise voting and election procedures, and to change the monitoring and control of the district's finances. (House sponsor: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective immediately.

SB 1867         
Fast Track Subdivision Plat Amendments: Authorizes counties to amend plats to correct certain errors or omissions without public notices, publications, and hearings prescribed by plat revisions. (House sponsor: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective 9/1/07.

SB 2029         
San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District: Requires one director of the district to be elected by the voters of the entire county; requires that one director is to be elected from voters in each justice of the peace precinct; and requires eligible candidates for director to be a registered voter in the district. (House sponsor: Rep. Juan Garcia, D-Corpus Cristi); Effective immediately.

HB 831          
Webb County Civil Service: Lowers from 200,000 to 190,000 the population of counties authorized to create a civil service system, thereby allowing Webb County to create a county civil service system for its employees. (House author: Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo); Effective immediately.

HB 2070:       
Duval County Groundwater District: Extends the deadline for the district's confirmation election and authorizes Duval County to pay for a portion of the election. (House author: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective immediately.

HB 2072:       
Starr County Groundwater District: Requires the temporary directors of the district to be appointed and charges those directors with holding an election to confirm the creation of the district. (House author: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective immediately.

HB 2322        
Zapata County Hotel Tax: Exempts Zapata County from the four percent limit on its hotel occupancy tax, allowing the rate to be up to the statutory seven percent limit. (House author: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective immediately.

HB 2617        
Laredo Court of Record: Creates and establishes rules for the municipal courts of record in the City of Laredo.  Provides the municipal court judges are to be elected to four-year terms with a limit of two terms, consistent with the city's charter. (House author: Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City); Effective immediately.          

HB 4037        
Jury Terms of 49th and 341st District Courts: Closes the gap for jury terms of the 49th and 341st district courts to allow the courts to secure bond forfeiture for absent defendants. (House author: Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo); Effective 9/1/07.

HB 4067        
Boundaries for Zavala-Dimmit County Water Improvement District No. 1: Allows the district to annex all the areas that are within the Bermuda Reservoir into the district, but does not impact any pre-existing water rights. (House author: Rep. Tracy King, D-Batesville); Effective 6/15/07.