S.B. No. 1716
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the governance of certain housing authorities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 392.031(b), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A commissioner may not be an officer or employee of the
  municipality. A commissioner may be:
               (1)  a tenant of a public project over which the housing
  authority has jurisdiction; or 
               (2)  a person who is a recipient of housing assistance
  administered through the authority's housing choice voucher
  program.
         SECTION 2.  Section 392.0331, Local Government Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (b), (g), and (h) and adding
  Subsections (b-2) and (h-1) to read as follows:
         (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), in appointing
  commissioners under Section 392.031, a municipality with a
  municipal housing authority composed of five commissioners shall
  appoint at least one commissioner to the authority who is a tenant
  of a public housing project over which the authority has
  jurisdiction. Except as provided by Subsection (b-2), in [In]
  appointing commissioners under Section 392.031, a municipality
  with a municipal housing authority composed of seven or more
  commissioners shall appoint at least two commissioners to the
  authority who are tenants of a public housing project over which the
  authority has jurisdiction.
         (b-2)  In appointing commissioners under Section 392.031, a
  municipality that has a population over two million and a municipal
  housing authority composed of seven or more commissioners shall
  appoint at least two commissioners to the authority who are:
               (1)  tenants of a public housing project over which the
  authority has jurisdiction; or
               (2)  recipients of housing assistance administered
  through the authority's housing choice voucher program.
         (g)  A commissioner appointed under this section may not
  participate:
               (1)  in any vote or discussion concerning the
  termination of:
                     (A)  the commissioner's occupancy rights in
  public housing; 
                     (B)  the commissioner's rights to housing
  assistance administered through a housing choice voucher program;
  or
                     (C)  the rights of any person related in the first
  degree by consanguinity to the commissioner with respect to the
  person's occupancy rights in public housing or right to receive
  housing assistance administered through a housing choice voucher
  program; or
               (2)  in a grievance or administrative hearing in which
  the commissioner or a person related in the first degree by
  consanguinity to the commissioner is a party.
         (h)  If a commissioner appointed under this section as a
  tenant of a public housing project ceases to reside in a housing
  unit operated by the public housing authority during the
  commissioner's term, a majority of the other commissioners shall
  decide whether to request that a new commissioner be appointed. A
  majority of the commissioners may decide to allow the commissioner
  to serve the remaining portion of the commissioner's term.
         (h-1)  If a commissioner appointed under this section as a
  recipient of housing assistance administered through the
  authority's housing choice voucher program ceases to receive that
  assistance, a majority of the other commissioners shall decide
  whether to request that a new commissioner be appointed. A majority
  of the commissioners may decide to allow the commissioner to serve
  the remaining portion of the commissioner's term.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1716 passed the Senate on
  May 4, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 2.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1716 passed the House on
  May 27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 132, Nays 12, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor