| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Neutral |
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Local Government Code requiring a municipality that proposes to annex a certain area must also annex the entire width of county road and the adjacent right-of-way on both sides of the road. Under the provisions of the bill, if the road annexed is a gravel road, the county would retain control of granting access to the road and its right-of-way from certain property.
While the provisions of HB 1949 would be beneficial policy changes. When a road is annexed there should be clear responsibility for what entity is responsible for maintaining the road and associated right-of-way. It makes little sense for a municipality to annex a road and refuse to take responsibility for the full width of the road and the right-of-way on either side. This legislation would resolve the present issue in a way that supports limited government. For that reason we support HB 1949.
The second chamber sponsor is Senator Van Taylor