By: Flynn (Senate Sponsor - Hall)	H.B. No. 797
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 20, 2015;
	April 30, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on
	Intergovernmental Relations; May 13, 2015, reported favorably by
	the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 13, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the Hunt Memorial Hospital District; authorizing the
	issuance of bonds.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 1044.052, Special District Local Laws
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 1044.052.  NOTICE OF ELECTION. Notice [At least 10 days
	before the date] of an election of directors[, notice of the
	election] shall be published in accordance with Section 4.003,
	Election Code, [at least one time] in a newspaper of general
	circulation in the district.
	SECTION 2.  Section 1044.053, Special District Local Laws
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 1044.053.  BALLOT APPLICATION [PETITION]. A person who
	wants to have the person's name printed on the ballot as a candidate
	for director must file with the board secretary an application in
	accordance with Chapter 144, Election Code [a petition requesting
	that action.   The petition must:
	[(1)     be signed by at least 25 registered voters who
	reside in the district;
	[(2)     be filed at least 31 days before the date of the
	election; and
	[(3)     specify the county commissioners precinct the
	candidate wants to represent or specify that the candidate wants to
	represent the district at large].
	SECTION 3.  Section 1044.103, Special District Local Laws
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 1044.103.  MEDICAL FACILITIES; LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It
	is the intent of the legislature that the people of Hunt County be
	provided with the best and most modern health care available.  To
	achieve that intent, the district may locate [provide] a medical or
	related facility in the city of Commerce, [and] in another area
	[other areas] of Hunt County, or in another county if the board
	finds that providing a facility is feasible and in the best interest
	of district residents.
	SECTION 4.  Subchapter E, Chapter 1044, Special District
	Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Sections 1044.206, 1044.207,
	1044.208, and 1044.209 to read as follows:
	Sec. 1044.206.  REVENUE BONDS.  (a)  The board may issue
	revenue bonds to:
	(1)  acquire, purchase, construct, repair, renovate,
	or equip buildings or improvements for hospital purposes; or
	(2)  acquire sites to be used for hospital purposes.
	(b)  The bonds must be payable from and secured by a pledge of
	all or part of the revenues derived from the operation of the
	district's hospital system, including district facilities.
	(c)  The bonds may be additionally secured by a mortgage or
	deed of trust lien on all or part of the district property.
	(d)  The bonds must be issued in the manner and in accordance
	with the procedures and requirements prescribed by Sections
	264.042, 264.043, 264.046, 264.047, 264.048, and 264.049, Health
	and Safety Code, for issuance of revenue bonds by county hospital
	authorities.
	Sec. 1044.207.  REFUNDING BONDS.  (a) The board may issue
	refunding bonds to refund outstanding indebtedness issued or
	assumed by the district.
	(b)  A refunding bond may be:
	(1)  sold, with the proceeds of the refunding bond
	applied to the payment of the outstanding indebtedness; or
	(2)  exchanged wholly or partly for not less than a
	similar principal amount of outstanding indebtedness.
	Sec. 1044.208.  ADDITIONAL MEANS OF SECURING REPAYMENT OF
	BONDS. In addition to the authority to issue general obligation
	bonds and revenue bonds under this subchapter, the board may
	provide for the security and payment of district bonds from a pledge
	of a combination of ad valorem taxes as authorized by Section
	1044.202 and revenue and other sources authorized by Section
	1044.206.
	Sec. 1044.209.  USE OF BOND PROCEEDS. The district may use
	the proceeds of bonds issued under this subchapter to pay:
	(1)  any expense the board determines is reasonable and
	necessary to issue, sell, and deliver the bonds;
	(2)  interest payments on the bonds during a period of
	acquisition or construction of a project or facility to be provided
	through the bonds, not to exceed five years;
	(3)  costs related to the financing of the bond funds,
	including debt service reserve and contingency funds;
	(4)  costs related to the bond issuance;
	(5)  costs related to the acquisition of land or
	interests in land for a project or facility to be provided through
	the bonds; and
	(6)  costs of construction of a project or facility to
	be provided through the bonds, including the payment of related
	professional services and expenses.
	SECTION 5.  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, 2015.
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