Sec. 143.004. ELECTION TO ADOPT OR REPEAL CHAPTER. (a) A municipality may hold an election to adopt or repeal this chapter as provided by this section.
(b) If the governing body of the municipality receives a petition requesting an election that is signed by a number of qualified voters of the municipality equal to at least 10 percent of the number of voters who voted in the most recent municipal election, the governing body shall order an election submitting to the voters the question of whether this chapter should be adopted. The election must be held on the first authorized uniform election date prescribed by Chapter 41, Election Code, that occurs after the petition is filed and that allows sufficient time to comply with other requirements of law.
(c) The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the proposition: "Adoption of the fire fighters' and police officers' civil service law." However, this chapter may be adopted to apply only to the fire or police department, and in that case, the ballot shall be printed to reflect the department that would be covered by this chapter. If a majority of the votes received in the election are in favor of adoption of this chapter, the governing body shall implement this chapter.
(d) If an election is held under Subsection (b), a petition for a subsequent election to be held under that subsection may not be filed for at least one year after the date the previous election was held. To be valid, a petition for a subsequent election must contain the signatures of a number of qualified voters of the municipality equal to at least 20 percent of the number of voters who voted in the most recent municipal election. Any subsequent election must be held at the next general municipal election that occurs after the petition is filed.
(e) If the governing body of a municipality with a population of less than 950,000 that has operated under this chapter for at least one year receives a petition requesting an election to repeal this chapter that is signed by at least 10 percent of the qualified voters of the municipality, the governing body shall order an election submitting to the voters the question on whether this chapter should be repealed. If a majority of the qualified voters vote to repeal this chapter, this chapter is void in that municipality.
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.
Amended by:
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 874 (H.B. 4227), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.