VERNON'S CIVIL STATUTES

TITLE 28. CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES

CHAPTER 13. HOME RULE



Art. 1175. ENUMERATED POWERS. A home-rule municipality has the following powers:

1. To prohibit the use of any street, alley, highway or grounds of the city by any telegraph, telephone, electric light, street railway, interurban railway, steam railway, gas company, or any other character of public utility without first obtaining the consent of the governing authorities expressed by ordinance and upon paying such compensation as may be prescribed and upon such condition as may be provided by any such ordinance. To determine, fix and regulate the charges, fares or rates of any person, firm or corporation enjoying or that may enjoy the franchise or exercising any other public privilege in said city and to prescribe the kind of service to be furnished by such person, firm or corporation, and the manner in which it shall be rendered, and from time to time alter or change such rules, regulations and compensation; provided that in adopting such regulations and in fixing or changing such compensation, or determining the reasonableness thereof, no stock or bonds authorized or issued by any corporation enjoying the franchise shall be considered unless proof that the same have been actually issued by the corporation for money paid and used for the development of the corporate property, labor done or property actually received in accordance with the laws and Constitution of this State applicable thereto. In order to ascertain all facts necessary for a proper understanding of what is or should be a reasonable rate or regulation, the governing authority shall have full power to inspect the books and compel the attendance of witnesses for such purpose.

2. Provided that in all cities of over twenty-five thousand inhabitants, the governing body of such city, when the public service of such city may require the same, shall have the right and power to compel any street railway or other public utility corporation to extend its lines of service into any section of said city not to exceed two miles, all told, in any one year.

3. Whenever any city may determine to acquire any public utility using and occupying its streets, alleys, and avenues as hereinbefore provided, and it shall be necessary to condemn the said public utility, the city may obtain funds for the purpose of acquiring the said public utility and paying the compensation therefor, by issuing bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness and shall secure the same by fixing a lien upon the said properties constituting the said public utility so acquired by condemnation or purchase or otherwise; said security shall apply alone to said properties so pledged; and such further regulations may be provided by any charter for the proper financing or raising the revenue necessary for obtaining any public utilities and providing for the fixing of said security.

Acts 1913, p. 307; Acts 1921, p. 169; Acts 1963, 58th Leg., p. 447, ch. 160, art. II.



Subd. 19 amended by Acts 1967, 60th Leg., p. 189, ch. 100, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1967; Subd. 35 added by Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 237, ch. 89, Sec. 8, eff. Jan. 1, 1976; Subd. 35 added by Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 627, ch. 258, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Renumbered subd. 36 and amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 905, ch. 413, Sec. 1, eff. June 6, 1979. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 8(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Subd. 37 added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 79, Sec. 1, eff. May 12, 1987; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1057, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1082, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 49(b), 86(b), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 455, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 23, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 227, Sec. 27, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.



This article was amended by the 84th Legislature. Pending publication of the current statutes, see S.B. 1296, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, for amendments affecting this section.

Art. 1182k. ACQUISITION OR ESTABLISHMENT OF A RAILROAD OR RAILROAD FACILITIES.

Sec. 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:

(1) "Railroad" means an enterprise created and operated to carry passengers, freight, or both on a fixed track. The term includes all real estate and interests in real estate, equipment, machinery, materials, structures, buildings, stations, facilities, and other improvements that are necessary to, or for the benefit of, the enterprise.

(2) "Municipality" means a home-rule city.

Sec. 2. DECLARATION OF GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION. The planning, acquisition, establishment, development, construction, enlarging, improvement, maintenance, equipping, operation, regulation, protection, policing, leasing, and alienation of a railroad and railroad facilities by municipalities and other public agencies, separately or jointly exercised, are declared to be public and governmental functions that are exercised for a public purpose and matters of public necessity and, in the case of a municipality, are declared to be municipal functions and purposes as well as public and governmental. All land and other property and privileges acquired and used by or on behalf of municipalities or other public agencies for railroad purposes are declared to be acquired for public and governmental purposes and as a matter of public necessity and, in the case of a municipality, for a municipal purpose. Nothing in this Act shall operate to confer or convey any governmental immunity or limitation of liability to any entity which is not a governmental entity, authority, public agency, or subdivision thereof.

Sec. 3. VALIDATION. (a) Any real estate transactions or any acquisitions or operations of any railroad property by a municipality or municipalities that occurred on or after January 1, 1984, but before the effective date of this Act, are validated as of the dates they occurred. The transactions, acquisitions, or operations may not be held invalid because they were not performed in accordance with law.

(b) This section does not apply to any matter that on the effective date of this Act:

(1) is involved in litigation if the litigation ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; or

(2) has been held invalid by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

Sec. 4. CUMULATIVE EFFECT. The provisions of this Act shall be cumulative of all other laws or parts of laws, general or special.

Sec. 5. SEVERABILITY. If any provisions of this Act or the application thereof to any person, entity, or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 181, eff. May 24, 1985.