Sec. 344.251. REFERENDUM AUTHORIZED. (a) The board may call and hold a referendum election on the question of whether to:

(1) continue the district; or

(2) dissolve the district.

(b) A board may order a referendum election on its own motion.

(c) The board shall order a referendum election:

(1) on receipt of a petition that requests continuation or dissolution of the district and complies with the requirements of Sections 344.252-344.256; or

(2) if the governing body of the municipality that created the district, after notice and a public hearing on the matter, by resolution requests a referendum on continuation or dissolution.

(d) The board may not hold a referendum election under this subchapter before the fourth anniversary of the date the district was created or before the third anniversary of the date of the last continuation or dissolution referendum election.

(e) For a continuation referendum election, the ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: "Whether the ____________ (name of the municipality that created the district) Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District should be continued and whether the fire control, prevention, and emergency medical services district sales and use tax should be continued."

(f) For a dissolution referendum, the ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: "Whether the ____________ (name of the municipality that created the district) Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District should be dissolved and whether the fire control, prevention, and emergency medical services district sales and use tax should be abolished."

(g) The governing body of a municipality that creates a district under this chapter may specify the number of years for which the district should be continued. The board or the governing body of a municipality may continue a district for 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. For a continuation referendum election under this subsection, the ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: "Whether the ______ (name of the municipality that created the district) Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District should be continued for ______ years and whether the fire control, prevention, and emergency medical services district sales and use tax should be continued for _____ years."

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1295, Sec. 1, eff. June 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 662 (H.B. 2228), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.