Bill Text: TX HB295 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the adoption of noise regulations by certain counties; providing a criminal penalty; authorizing a fee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-27 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB295 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB295-Comm_Sub.html
85R24108 DMS-F | |||
By: Walle | H.B. No. 295 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 295: | |||
By: Neave | C.S.H.B. No. 295 |
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relating to the adoption of noise regulations by certain counties; | ||
providing a criminal penalty; authorizing a fee. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 240, Local Government Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter D to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER D. REGULATION OF NOISE AND SOUND LEVELS IN CERTAIN | ||
COUNTIES | ||
Sec. 240.061. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter | ||
applies only to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million. | ||
Sec. 240.062. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE. (a) The | ||
commissioners court of the county by order shall prohibit the | ||
production of sound from a loudspeaker or sound amplifier the level | ||
of which exceeds 85 decibels at a distance of 50 feet from the | ||
property line of the property on which the loudspeaker or sound | ||
amplifier is operated. | ||
(b) A regulation adopted under this subchapter applies only | ||
to the unincorporated area of the county. | ||
Sec. 240.063. EXEMPTIONS. A sound is exempt from | ||
regulation under this subchapter if it is a sound produced by the | ||
operations or facilities of: | ||
(1) a chemical manufacturing facility; | ||
(2) an electric utility as defined by Section 31.002, | ||
Utilities Code; or | ||
(3) a gas utility as defined by Section 101.003 or | ||
121.001, Utilities Code. | ||
Sec. 240.064. PERMIT FOR CERTAIN EVENTS; PERMIT FEES. (a) | ||
The commissioners court by order may authorize the holding of | ||
events at which loudspeakers or sound amplifiers that produce | ||
sounds exceeding the levels specified by Section 240.062 will be | ||
used, if the person holding an event obtains a permit from the | ||
county for the event. | ||
(b) In determining whether to grant a permit under this | ||
section, the commissioners court shall consider whether the sound | ||
is recurrent, intermittent, or constant. | ||
(c) A person must apply for the permit in accordance with | ||
regulations adopted by the county. | ||
(d) The regulations adopted under this section may provide | ||
for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit by the county. | ||
(e) A district court has jurisdiction of a suit that arises | ||
from the denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit by the | ||
county. | ||
(f) A county may impose fees on an applicant for a permit | ||
under this section. The fees must be based on the administrative | ||
costs of issuing the permit. A county that imposes a permit fee | ||
shall establish procedures to reduce the fee amount if the | ||
applicant is unable to pay the full permit fee. | ||
Sec. 240.065. METHOD OF SOUND MEASUREMENT. The | ||
commissioners court by rule shall adopt a procedure to measure | ||
noise and sound levels under this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 240.066. INJUNCTION. A county may sue in the district | ||
court for an injunction to prohibit the violation or threatened | ||
violation of a prohibition or other regulation adopted under this | ||
subchapter. | ||
Sec. 240.067. CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits an | ||
offense if the person violates a prohibition or other regulation | ||
adopted under this subchapter. | ||
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. | ||
SECTION 2. 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. |