Texas House bill by Rep. Geren modifies local government code on municipal extraterritorial jurisdiction

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Charlie Geren seeks to adjust municipal extraterritorial jurisdiction rules, aiming to provide flexibility for areas near military bases, industrial districts, and water service zones, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 51 Democrats and 68 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while four Democrats and 16 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted in favor, while four Republicans voted against it.

Charlie Geren introduced the bill in the Texas House on Wednesday, Feb. 5, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Geren, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State House in 2003 to represent the state’s 99th House district, replacing previous state representative Kenny Marchant.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to the release of certain areas from a municipality’s extraterritorial jurisdiction by petition or election’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill modifies the Local Government Code to allow for the release of areas from a municipality’s extraterritorial jurisdiction through petition or election under certain conditions. The areas eligible for release include those within 15 miles of a military base with an active training program, designated industrial districts, areas subject to strategic partnership or development agreements, and locations within a municipality’s certificate of convenience and necessity for water services. The bill aims to provide flexibility in jurisdictional boundaries and will take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each legislative house; otherwise, it will become effective on Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Thursday, May 29, and was filed without the Governor’s signature on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.