Sec. 56.803. CONSOLIDATION BY PETITION. (a) Consolidation may be initiated by a petition requesting that the districts be consolidated.

(b) The petition must be signed by a number of qualified voters in each district proposed to be consolidated that is equal to at least five percent of the number of votes cast in the district in the most recent gubernatorial general election. There must be one petition for each district proposed to be consolidated. A qualified voter may sign only the petition for the district in which the voter resides.

(c) The petitions shall be filed simultaneously with the secretary of each district proposed to be consolidated.

(d) A district's board shall determine whether the petition presented to that district meets the requirements of Subsection (b) and shall notify the board of each other district proposed to be consolidated whether the petition meets the requirements of Subsection (b).

(e) If the petitions meet the requirements of Subsection (b) in all districts proposed to be consolidated, the boards of the districts proposed to be consolidated shall:

(1) issue a joint order for an election to be held on the same day in each district to determine whether the districts should be consolidated; and

(2) give notice of the election in the manner provided by law for other elections.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 222, Sec. 12, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.