Senate Bill 1168 bars cities from imposing fees and fines on ETJ residents once an area has disannexed or rejected an annexation attempt at the ballot box.

  • Prior law permitted cities to impose fees and fines on ETJ residents even if an area had disannexed or voters had rejected an annexation attempt at the ballot box.
  • The state’s former policy enabled a type of regulation without representation.
  • A new state law aims to protect rural residents and promote democratic ideals by prohibiting certain city overreach in the ETJ.