87R6666 SMT-D
 
  By: Schofield H.B. No. 2289
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the State District as the seat of
  state government.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 1, Local Government Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 2 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 2. STATE DISTRICT
         Sec. 2.001.  DISTRICT ESTABLISHED. (a) The State District
  is created from the City of Austin in Travis County as the seat of
  state government.
         (b)  In this chapter, "district" means the State District.
         Sec. 2.002.  DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The territory of the
  district is initially composed of the territory in the following
  boundaries:
               (1)  on the north, the southern edge of Martin Luther
  King, Jr., Boulevard;
               (2)  on the east, the western edge of Trinity Street;
               (3)  on the south, the northern edge of 10th Street; and
               (4)  on the west, the eastern edge of Lavaca Street.
         (b)  The boundaries of the district may be modified by the
  governing body of the district in the manner provided by law for a
  home-rule municipality.
         (c)  A charter provision or ordinance of the City of Austin
  remains in effect in the State District until a charter is adopted
  under this chapter. On the adoption of the charter, the area in the
  district is removed from the City of Austin.
         Sec. 2.003.  POWERS AND GOVERNANCE. (a) The district has
  the powers of a home-rule municipality. The district charter has
  the same force and effect and shall be treated the same in all
  respects as the charter of a home-rule municipality.
         (b)  The district is governed by a board of five directors at
  large appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the
  senate.
         (c)  To qualify to serve as a director, a person must be a
  resident of this state.
         (d)  Directors serve staggered two-year terms.
         (e)  If a vacancy occurs on the board, the governor shall
  appoint a director with the advice and consent of the senate for the
  remainder of the unexpired term.
         (f)  A board member is not entitled to compensation but is
  entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses.
         (g)  The governor shall designate from the members of the
  board a presiding officer. The board shall designate from the
  members of the board other officers the board considers necessary.
         Sec. 2.004.  ADOPTION OF CHARTER. Not later than the 90th
  day after the date the initial board is appointed, the board shall
  adopt a charter to govern the operations of the district.
         Sec. 2.005.  POWERS. On the adoption of a charter under this
  chapter, the district has the powers of a home-rule municipality.
  The charter has the same force and effect and shall be treated the
  same in all respects as the charter of a home-rule municipality.
         Sec. 2.006.  TRANSFERS AND ASSUMPTIONS. (a) On the adoption
  of a charter under this chapter, all money, real property,
  contracts, leases, and rights of the City of Austin existing on the
  date of the charter adoption that relate to the territory included
  in the district are transferred to the district.
         (b)  On the adoption of a charter under this chapter, the
  district assumes a pro rata share of the indebtedness of the City of
  Austin existing on the date of the charter adoption. The district
  annually shall pay to the city an amount to be applied exclusively
  to the payment of the district's share of that indebtedness until
  the district's share is paid in full.
         Sec. 2.007.  STATE OFFICES AND FUNCTIONS. A state office
  required to be located in or a state function required to occur in
  the City of Austin by other law may be located or occur in the
  district.
         SECTION 2.  Section 411.066, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 411.066.  JURISDICTION. The [municipal court of a
  municipality and the] justice courts of a county in which an offense
  under Section 411.065 was committed have [concurrent] original
  jurisdiction over such an offense.
         SECTION 3.  Section 411.062(f), Government Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2022, but only
  if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2021, allowing the legislature to establish from
  part of the City of Austin the State District to be the seat of state
  government is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not
  approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.