Bill Text: TX SB546 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the governance of public housing authorities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-21 - Referred to Intergovernmental Relations [SB546 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB546-Introduced.html

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86R5899 JAM-F
By: Watson S.B. No. 546

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