Honorable Carol Alvarado, Chair, House Committee on Urban Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2162 by Simmons (Relating to municipal regulation of the use of alarm systems and camera systems; authorizing a municipal fee.), As Introduced
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Local Government Code to permit a municipality to adopt an ordinance and establish a fee to require a person to obtain a permit before a person may act as a camera systems company. The bill provides requirements and restrictions of the municipal ordinance. The bill provides criteria for a false alarm and permits a municipality to refuse to respond if the location has had more than eight other false alarms within the last year. The bill provides penalties for an alarm systems monitor that reports a false alarm if the alarm systems monitor has made three other false alarms within the last year. Under the provisions of the bill, a municipality that does not respond to an alarm system or camera system signal is not liable for damages that may occur. A property owner or an agent of the property owner may elect to exclude a city from receiving an alarm signal located on the owner's property.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.