Texas Local Government Code Title 10, Chapter 327 - Zoological Operation And Maintenance Boards

SUBCHAPTER A GENERAL PROVISIONS

SUBCHAPTER B CREATION OF ZOO BOARD

• Texas Section 327.001 - Definitions
  In this chapter: (1) "County" means the county that created the zoo board. (2) "Director" means a zoo board member. (3) "Zoo board" means a...
• Texas Section 327.051 - Counties Authorized To Create Zoo Board
  The commissioners court of a county with a population of more than 1.5 million that is adjacent to a county with a population of more...
• Texas Section 327.052 - Order Creating Zoo Board
  (a) The order authorizing the creation of a zoo board must specify that the zoo board: (1) is being created under this chapter; and (2)...
• Texas Section 327.053 - Authority To Tax; Election Required
  The county may assess and collect a separate ad valorem tax to provide revenue for a zoo board that it has created. The tax may...
• Texas Section 327.054 - Election Order
  (a) An order for an election under Section 327.053 must state: (1) the nature of the election, including the proposition that is to appear on...
• Texas Section 327.055 - Conduct Of Election
  (a) The county shall hold the election under the Election Code to the extent not inconsistent with this chapter. (b) The ballot for the election...

SUBCHAPTER C ORGANIZATION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Texas Section 327.056 - Election Results
  (a) Not earlier than the second day or later than the 13th day after the election date, the county shall canvass the election returns. (b)...
• Texas Section 327.101 - Board Of Directors
  (a) A zoo board consists of seven directors appointed by the county commissioners court as follows: (1) one director appointed by each member of the...
• Texas Section 327.102 - Vacancy
  A vacancy on the zoo board is filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1235, Sec....
• Texas Section 327.103 - Officers
  (a) The county commissioners court shall designate the presiding officer for the zoo board to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the commissioners...
• Texas Section 327.104 - Meetings
  A zoo board shall hold regular meetings at times to be fixed by the zoo board or special meetings as necessary. Added by Acts 2003,...
• Texas Section 327.105 - Compensation; Expenses
  (a) A director serves without compensation but may be reimbursed for a reasonable and necessary expense, including a travel expense, incurred in performing an official...

SUBCHAPTER D ZOO BOARD POWERS AND DUTIES

• Texas Section 327.106 - Immunity From Liability
  A director is not liable for civil damages or criminal prosecution for any act performed in good faith in the execution of the director's duties...
• Texas Section 327.151 - General Powers
  A zoo board may exercise any power necessary or appropriate to further a zoo board purpose, including establishing or operating one or more zoos. Added...
• Texas Section 327.152 - Rules
  The zoo board may adopt rules to implement this chapter, including rules to govern the zoo board or manage zoos. Added by Acts 2003, 78th...
• Texas Section 327.153 - Executive Director; Rules
  (a) A zoo board may appoint an executive director to manage the zoo board's operations. (b) The zoo board by rule may define the powers,...
• Texas Section 327.154 - Employees; Rules
  (a) A zoo board may delegate to the executive director the power to hire and fire persons necessary to carry out the zoo board's duties....
• Texas Section 327.155 - Contracts--general; Approval Required
  (a) A zoo board may contract with any person, including a governmental entity, private vendor, or foreign state, for any zoo board purpose, including contracting...
• Texas Section 327.156 - Agreement To Operate District
  (a) In selecting a person to operate a zoo under Section 327.155, the zoo board shall consider: (1) the financial capability of the person; (2)...
• Texas Section 327.157 - Property; Approval Required
  A zoo board may acquire and sell property for any zoo board purpose. Before the acquisition or sale, the zoo board must obtain the approval...
• Texas Section 327.158 - Public Purpose Of Donations, Agreements, Or Transfers With Or From Other Political Entities; Exception To Competitive Bidding
  (a) A governmental entity, including a municipality, county, special district, or other political subdivision of the state, may sell, lease, donate, or otherwise transfer to...
• Texas Section 327.159 - Zoo Board Records
  (a) A zoo board shall: (1) keep a complete account of each zoo board meeting or other proceeding; and (2) maintain zoo board records in...
• Texas Section 327.160 - Donations
  (a) A zoo board may accept a donation, grant, or other gift from any person for any zoo board purpose. (b) Before accepting a donation,...
• Texas Section 327.161 - Suits; Service Of Process; Legal Services
  (a) A zoo board may sue and be sued. (b) In a suit against a zoo board, process may be served on a director or...
• Texas Section 327.162 - Supervision By County
  (a) The county commissioners court may supervise the zoo board in the exercise of all powers and duties under this chapter, including Subchapter E. (b)...

SUBCHAPTER E GENERAL FISCAL PROVISIONS

• Texas Section 327.163 - Seal
  A zoo board shall adopt a seal for the zoo board. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1235, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003.
• Texas Section 327.201 - General Zoo Board And County Power Over Funds
  A zoo board shall manage and control zoo board funds subject to the supervision or approval of the county commissioners court under Section 327.162 and...
• Texas Section 327.202 - Accounting And Control Procedures
  A zoo board by rule may adopt accounting and control procedures for the zoo board, subject to the supervision of the county commissioners court under...
• Texas Section 327.203 - Purchasing And Expenditure Method
  A zoo board by rule may prescribe the zoo board's method of making purchases and expenditures. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1235, Sec....
• Texas Section 327.204 - Fiscal Year
  (a) A zoo board by rule shall establish the zoo board's fiscal year. (b) The zoo board may not change the fiscal year more than...
• Texas Section 327.205 - Annual Audit Required
  A zoo board shall have an annual audit of the zoo board's financial condition performed by an independent auditor. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg.,...
• Texas Section 327.206 - Annual Budget Proposal
  (a) A zoo board shall propose an annual budget. (b) The proposed budget must contain a complete financial statement, including the: (1) outstanding zoo board...
• Texas Section 327.207 - Adoption Of Annual Budget; Hearings
  (a) Not later than the 100th day before the date each fiscal year begins, the zoo board shall hold a public hearing on the proposed...
• Texas Section 327.208 - Limitations On Expenditures And Investments
  (a) A zoo board may not spend money unless the expense is included in the annual budget. (b) A zoo board may not incur a...

SUBCHAPTER F BONDS

• Texas Section 327.209 - Account Of Zoo Board Disbursements
  Not later than the 60th day after the last day of each fiscal year, a zoo board employee shall prepare for the zoo board a...
• Texas Section 327.251 - General Obligation Bonds
  The county commissioners court may issue and sell bonds to acquire, construct, equip, or enlarge any zoo or zoo-related property, including a zoo board building...
• Texas Section 327.252 - Taxes To Pay Bonds
  (a) When the county issues bonds under this chapter, the county commissioners court shall impose an ad valorem tax on all property subject to county...
• Texas Section 327.253 - Authority For Bond Election
  The county commissioners court may order a bond election on its own motion or on the zoo board's request. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg.,...

SUBCHAPTER G TAXES

• Texas Section 327.254 - Execution Of Bonds
  The county judge shall execute the bonds and the county clerk shall countersign the bonds. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1235, Sec. 1,...
• Texas Section 327.301 - Annual Property Taxes
  (a) The county annually shall impose a separate ad valorem tax in an amount not to exceed the limit approved by the voters under Subchapter...

SUBCHAPTER H DISSOLUTION

• Texas Section 327.302 - Tax Rate
  In adopting the tax rate, the county may consider the zoo board's income from sources other than taxation. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch....
• Texas Section 327.351 - Dissolution By County
  (a) The county commissioners court may dissolve the zoo board if all zoo board debts and obligations have been discharged. (b) Any property remaining after...

Last modified: September 28, 2016