Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 456 provides assurances required by site selection organizations in support of the candidacy of Texas cities for the 2007 Pan American Games or the 2012 Olympic Games. It authorizes trust funds of up to $20 million and $100 million, respectively, supported primarily by incremental tax receipts resulting from the games. The state contribution is 86 percent; the municipal contribution, 14 percent. Revenue sources include state and local sales and use taxes and local fee surcharges, and in the case of the Pan American Games, include state and local hotel occupancy taxes, motor vehicle taxes, and alcoholic and mixed beverage taxes. However, city voters must approve any local tax contributions unless the established election schedule is inconsistent with federal voting rights preclearance requirements. Voter rejection eliminates most state financial or contractual involvement in a games or games bid. The act details the responsibilities of the comptroller, the Texas Department of Economic Development, and certain other state agencies. It sets various ethics, reporting, filing, auditing, and oversight responsibilities for a local organizing committee for the games, and makes bribery involving local organizing committee or site selection organization officials a felony of the second degree. A local organizing committee is tax-exempt and is subject to the open records law, except that its final bid may not be disclosed until the applicable games site is selected. The open meetings law applies to a local organizing committee, with certain exceptions. No money may be disbursed from the Olympic Games trust fund to solicit the relocation of a professional sports franchise.