Texas House passes property rights bill
Measure limits government's ability to take land with eminent domain
By GARY SCHARRER
AUSTIN BUREAU
April 14, 2011, 7:32AM
Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterFacebookStumbleUponEmail Close [X]AUSTIN — The Texas House tentatively approved a bill on Wednesday that clamps down on governments' ability to seize property using eminent domain, an issue Gov. Rick Perry declared an emergency at the start of the legislative session.
The 148-0 House vote reflects a similar unanimous vote in the Senate earlier this session. After a final vote on Thursday, the bill goes back to the Senate because of several changes House members made, such as awarding attorneys' fees to property owners in certain cases.
"It gives property owners of Texas much more protection than they have under current law. And it keeps the government from buying property and sitting on it for however long they want to and then selling it at a profit," said Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, sponsor of the measure.
The legislation would add a statutory provision prohibiting the taking of property that wasn't for public use and would require governmental entities to pay relocation expenses for displaced property owners.
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