H.B. No. 4279
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to expansion of the territory of the Frio Hospital
  District and to the election of the board of directors of the
  district.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1030.004, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1030.004.  DISTRICT TERRITORY. Unless the district's
  boundaries are expanded under Subchapter H, the [The] boundaries of
  the district are coextensive with the boundaries of Frio County,
  Texas, except that a portion of the southern boundary follows the
  boundary of the Frio River beginning at the intersection of the
  south county line and the Frio River to the point at which the
  boundary intersects the Leona River and follows the Leona River to
  the west county line.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 1030.051(a) and (b), Special District
  Local Laws Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Unless the district's boundaries are expanded under
  Subchapter H, the [The] district is governed by a board of seven
  directors.
         (b)  Unless the district's boundaries are expanded under
  Subchapter H:
               (1)  two [Two] directors are elected from each
  commissioners precinct and one director is elected from the
  district at large; and
               (2)  the [. The] portion of Precinct 4 that is in the
  district is combined with Precinct 1 to represent one precinct.
         SECTION 3.  Section 1030.052, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1030.052.  NOTICE OF ELECTION. Notice [At least 35 days
  before the date] of an election of directors[, notice of the
  election] shall be published in accordance with Section 4.003,
  Election Code [one time in a newspaper with general circulation in
  the district].
         SECTION 4.  Section 1030.053, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1030.053.  BALLOT APPLICATION [PETITION]. A person who
  wants to have the person's name printed on the ballot as a candidate
  for director must file with the board secretary an application in
  accordance with Chapter 144, Election Code [a petition requesting
  that action. The petition must:
               [(1)     be signed by at least 10 registered voters of the
  district as determined by the most recent official list of
  registered voters;
               [(2)     be filed not later than the 31st day before the
  date of the election; and
               [(3)     specify the commissioners precinct the candidate
  wants to represent or specify that the candidate wants to represent
  the district at large].
         SECTION 5.  Chapter 1030, Special District Local Laws Code,
  is amended by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER H. EXPANSION OF TERRITORY TO INCLUDE ALL OF FRIO COUNTY
         Sec. 1030.351.  PETITION TO EXPAND DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a)
  Registered voters of a defined territory composed of all territory
  within Frio County that does not include the territory of the
  district may file a petition with the board secretary requesting
  inclusion of the territory in the district.
         (b)  The petition must be signed by at least 50 registered
  voters of the territory or a majority of those voters, whichever is
  less.
         Sec. 1030.352.  NOTICE OF HEARING. (a) The board by order
  shall set a time and place to hold a hearing on the petition
  described by Section 1030.351.
         (b)  The hearing may not be held earlier than the 31st day
  after the date the board issues the order.
         Sec. 1030.353.  ORDER OF ANNEXATION. (a) If, after the
  hearing, the board finds that annexation of the territory into the
  district would be feasible and would benefit the district, the
  board may approve the annexation by a resolution entered in its
  minutes.
         (b)  The board is not required to include all of the
  territory described in the petition if the board finds that a change
  is necessary or desirable.
         Sec. 1030.354.  RATIFICATION ELECTION. (a) Annexation of
  territory is final when approved by a majority of the voters at:
               (1)  an election held in the district; and
               (2)  a separate election held on the same date in the
  territory to be annexed.
         (b)  If the district has outstanding debts or taxes, the
  voters in the elections to approve annexation must also determine
  whether the annexed territory will assume its portion of the debts
  or taxes on annexation.
         Sec. 1030.355.  BALLOT. The ballot for the elections shall
  be printed to permit voting for or against the following, as
  applicable:
               (1)  "Adding (description of territory to be added) to
  the Frio Hospital District."
               (2)  "(Description of territory to be added) assuming
  its proportionate share of the outstanding debts and taxes of the
  Frio Hospital District, if it is added to the district."
         Sec. 1030.356.  ANNEXATION ELECTION. (a) An election held
  under this subchapter to annex territory must be ordered in
  accordance with Chapter 3, Election Code.
         (b)  Notice of an election held under this subchapter to
  annex territory must be given as provided by Chapter 4, Election
  Code.
         Sec. 1030.357.  COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF BOARD FOLLOWING
  ANNEXATION. (a) If annexation is approved, the board shall be
  governed by a board of nine directors with two directors elected
  from each commissioners precinct and one director elected at large.
         (b)  At the next regularly scheduled board meeting following
  the canvassing of the election to expand the district's territory,
  the board shall appoint two individuals who meet the qualifications
  under Section 1030.054 to serve as temporary directors representing
  Precinct 4 until the date of the next regular election of directors.
         (c)  On the date of the next regular election following the
  approval of annexation, in addition to the directors scheduled to
  be elected at that election, two directors shall be elected from
  Precinct 4.
         (d)  The two initial directors elected from Precinct 4 shall
  draw lots to determine which director shall serve a one-year term.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4279 was passed by the House on April
  20, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 2, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4279 was passed by the Senate on May
  19, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor