Bill Text: TX HB989 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the fine or penalty for violation of a municipal rule, ordinance, or police regulation and municipal court jurisdiction to enforce certain violations.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-24 - Referred to Jurisprudence [HB989 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HB989-Introduced.html

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83R5436 PAM-F
By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the fine or penalty for violation of a municipal rule,
ordinance, or police regulation and municipal court jurisdiction to
enforce certain violations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 54.001(b), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) A fine or penalty for the violation of a rule,
ordinance, or police regulation may not exceed $1,000 [$500].
However, a fine or penalty for the violation of a rule, ordinance,
or police regulation that governs fire safety, zoning, or public
health and sanitation, including dumping of refuse, may not exceed
$4,000 [$2,000].
SECTION 2. Section 29.003(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A municipal court, including a municipal court of
record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the
municipality's territorial limits and property owned by the
municipality located in the municipality's extraterritorial
jurisdiction in all criminal cases that:
(1) arise under:
(A) the ordinances of the municipality; or
(B) a resolution, rule, or order of a joint board
operating an airport under Section 22.074, Transportation Code; and
(2) are punishable by a fine not to exceed:
(A) $4,000 [$2,000] in all cases arising under
municipal ordinances or resolutions, rules, or orders of a joint
board that govern fire safety, zoning, or public health and
sanitation, including dumping of refuse; or
(B) $1,000 [$500] in all other cases arising
under a municipal ordinance or a resolution, rule, or order of a
joint board.
SECTION 3. Article 4.14(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) A municipal court, including a municipal court of
record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the
territorial limits of the municipality in all criminal cases that:
(1) arise under the ordinances of the municipality;
and
(2) are punishable by a fine not to exceed:
(A) $4,000 [$2,000] in all cases arising under
municipal ordinances that govern fire safety, zoning, or public
health and sanitation, including dumping of refuse; or
(B) $1,000 [$500] in all other cases arising
under a municipal ordinance.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.