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Senate Bill 628 |
Senate Author: Watson et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Workman et al. |
Senate Bill 628, to be known as the Regional Emergency Communications Act, amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the governing bodies of each county and the principal municipality, in a region with a population of more than 1.5 million and composed of counties and municipalities that operate a 9-1-1 system solely through a regional planning commission, to adopt a resolution approving the creation of a regional emergency communications district and the county's or municipality's participation in the district. The bill designates such a district as a political subdivision of this state to carry out essential governmental functions and sets out provisions defining the territory of such a district and relating to the administration of a district.
Senate Bill 628 requires a district to provide 9-1-1 service to each participating jurisdiction, establishes that the digits 9-1-1 are the primary emergency telephone number in the district, and requires a 9-1-1 system to be capable of transmitting requests for emergency aid. The bill authorizes a district's board of managers to impose a 9-1-1 emergency service fee on service users in the district and sets out provisions relating to the imposition and collection of the fee. The bill sets out procedures for the dissolution of a district.
Senate Bill 628 authorizes a district's board of managers to issue bonds in the name of the district and sets out provisions relating to such bonds. The bill exempts from taxation a bond issued by a district, any transaction relating to a bond, and profits made in the sale or redemption of the bond.