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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the governance of public housing authorities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 392.032(b), Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A commissioner of the authority may not be an officer or |
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employee of the county. A commissioner may be: |
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(1) a tenant of a public project over which the housing |
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authority has jurisdiction; or |
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(2) a recipient of housing assistance administered |
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through the authority's housing choice voucher program or |
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project-based rental assistance program. |
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SECTION 2. Section 392.033(a), Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commissioners court of each county in a regional |
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housing authority shall appoint a person to serve as a commissioner |
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of the authority. Subsequently, the commissioners court of each |
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county shall appoint successors to the commissioner of the |
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authority appointed by that commissioners court. An appointed |
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commissioner of the authority may not be an officer or employee of |
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the county. A commissioner may be: |
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(1) a tenant of a public project over which the housing |
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authority has jurisdiction; or |
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(2) a recipient of housing assistance administered |
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through the authority's housing choice voucher program or |
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project-based rental assistance program. |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Section 392.0331, Local |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 392.0331. APPOINTMENT OF TENANT REPRESENTATIVE OR |
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CERTAIN OTHER RECIPIENTS OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE AS COMMISSIONER OF |
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MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, OR REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 392.0331(b), (b-1), (c), and (d), Local |
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Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection [Subsections] (b-1) |
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[and (b-2)], in appointing commissioners under Section 392.031, a |
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municipality with a municipal housing authority composed of five |
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commissioners shall appoint at least one commissioner to the |
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authority who is a tenant of a public housing project over which the |
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authority has jurisdiction or who is a recipient of housing |
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assistance administered through the authority's housing choice |
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voucher program or project-based rental assistance program. |
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In [Except as provided by Subsection (b-3), in] appointing |
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commissioners under Section 392.031, a municipality with a |
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municipal housing authority composed of seven or more commissioners |
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shall appoint at least two commissioners to the authority who are |
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tenants of a public housing project over which the authority has |
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jurisdiction or who are recipients of housing assistance |
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administered through the authority's housing choice voucher |
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program or project-based rental assistance program. |
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(b-1) The presiding officer of the governing body of a |
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municipality that has a municipal housing authority in which the |
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total number of units is 150 or fewer is not required to appoint a |
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tenant or a recipient of housing assistance to the position of |
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commissioner as otherwise required by Subsection (b) if the |
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presiding officer has provided timely notice of a vacancy in the |
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position to all eligible tenants or recipients of housing |
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assistance and is unable to fill the position with an eligible |
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tenant or recipient of housing assistance before the 60th day after |
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the date the position becomes vacant. |
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(c) In appointing commissioners under Section 392.032, a |
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county shall appoint at least one commissioner to a county housing |
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authority who is a tenant of a public housing project over which the |
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county housing authority has jurisdiction or who is a recipient of |
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housing assistance administered through the authority's housing |
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choice voucher program or project-based rental assistance program. |
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(d) In appointing commissioners under Section 392.033, a |
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county or counties comprising a regional housing authority shall |
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appoint at least one commissioner to a regional housing authority |
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who is a tenant of a public housing project over which the regional |
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housing authority has jurisdiction or who is a recipient of housing |
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assistance administered through the authority's housing choice |
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voucher program or project-based rental assistance program. If |
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more than one county comprises a regional housing authority, the |
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counties shall agree to a method for appointing to the regional |
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housing authority the [tenant] member who is a tenant or a recipient |
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of housing assistance [to the regional housing authority]. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 392.0331(b-2) and (b-3), Local |
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Government Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |