Bill Text: TX HB775 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Relating to the adoption of noise regulations by certain counties; creating a criminal offense; authorizing fees.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-14 - Referred to Local Government [HB775 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB775-Engrossed.html

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87R19199 MP-F
By: Walle H.B. No. 775

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the adoption of noise regulations by certain counties;
creating a criminal offense; authorizing fees.
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 a 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:
(1) the operations or facilities of:
(A) a chemical manufacturing facility;
(B) an electric utility as defined by Section
31.002, Utilities Code;
(C) a gas utility as defined by Section 101.003
or 121.001, Utilities Code;
(D) a telecommunications utility as defined by
Section 51.002, Utilities Code;
(E) a cable service provider as defined by
Section 66.002, Utilities Code;
(F) a video service provider as defined by
Section 66.002, Utilities Code; or
(G) an entity permitted for the management of
solid waste under Chapter 361, Health and Safety Code; or
(2) an activity associated with:
(A) the exploration, development, or production
of oil, gas, geothermal resources, or any other substance or
material regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas under
Section 91.101, Natural Resources Code; or
(B) the transporting, refining, processing, or
other handling of oil, gas, or geothermal resources.
Sec. 240.064. PERMIT FOR CERTAIN EVENTS; PERMIT FEES. (a)
The commissioners court of a county 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 of a county by rule shall adopt a procedure to
measure noise and sound levels under this subchapter.
Sec. 240.066. INJUNCTION. A county may sue in a 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, 2021.