SB 1522 (Broxson) and CS/HB 1209 (Fischer) expand the instances whereby voters can vote to dissolve a municipality. Under the bills, a municipality can be dissolved by a referendum by a majority vote of qualified voters. The referendum must be held if a municipality meets one or more of the following criteria: the municipality has been in a state of financial emergency for two years or more, a financial emergency board has been established in response to a financial emergency and the municipality has failed to comply with the terms included in a signed agreement with the Governor's office, the municipality has submitted its annual financial report or annual financial audit report significantly late for two or more years consecutively or a grand jury or auditor general audit report issued within the past three years identifies significant problems with the municipality.

Within 30 days after one of the above criteria are met, the governing body of the municipality or, in the event the municipal government does not act, the governing body of the county or counties that the municipality is in, shall set the date of the referendum to dissolve the municipality. The referendum shall be at the next regularly scheduled election or a special election can be called. The election shall be noticed at least once a week for two weeks before the election in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. (Cruz)