By: Barrientos, et al. S.B. No. 1677
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to studying the feasibility of constructing a
1-2 motion-picture soundstage facility on state-owned property in
1-3 certain counties and authorizing the construction if it is
1-4 feasible.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 444, Government Code, is
1-7 amended by adding Section 444.029 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 444.029. MOTION-PICTURE SOUNDSTAGE FACILITY. (a) The
1-9 commission, after consulting with the governor's Music, Film,
1-10 Television, and Multimedia Office, shall contract with a private
1-11 entity to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of
1-12 constructing, through a contract with a private entity, and
1-13 operating, through a contract with a private entity, a
1-14 motion-picture soundstage facility on state-owned real property in
1-15 Travis or Williamson County or any other state-owned property in
1-16 other counties, and what steps the state and local governments may
1-17 take to encourage the expansion and development of motion-picture
1-18 and television infrastructure in other counties in the state.
1-19 (b) The commission shall issue requests for proposals for
1-20 conducting the study not later than November 1, 1995. The study
1-21 must be completed not later than July 31, 1996.
1-22 (c) The study must include:
1-23 (1) an evaluation of the costs of constructing and
1-24 operating the facility;
2-1 (2) an evaluation of available methods to finance
2-2 construction of the facility;
2-3 (3) an evaluation of how other state agencies and
2-4 local governments in Travis or Williamson County could share in the
2-5 construction costs and ownership of the facility;
2-6 (4) an evaluation of the amount of rental revenues
2-7 that would be derived from the facility and of payments the
2-8 facility could generate for the governmental owners of the facility
2-9 in lieu of taxes on improvements and personal property related to
2-10 the facility;
2-11 (5) an evaluation of potential sites for the facility;
2-12 (6) an evaluation of how the state and other
2-13 governmental owners of the facility could contract with a private
2-14 entity to manage the facility;
2-15 (7) an evaluation of how the state and other
2-16 governmental owners of the facility could cooperate with private
2-17 entities to provide for the construction of separate support
2-18 facilities for the soundstage facility;
2-19 (8) an evaluation of existing incentives and programs
2-20 that can or should be provided by state or local government to
2-21 encourage the expansion of existing soundstage facilities in Texas
2-22 and the development of new facilities;
2-23 (9) an evaluation of if, and the degree to which, a
2-24 new facility in Travis or Williamson County would compete with any
2-25 existing soundstage facilities in the state;
2-26 (10) the feasibility of building soundstages in
2-27 production centers currently lacking such facilities;
3-1 (11) the feasibility of state assistance in building a
3-2 studio backlot in conjunction with an existing soundstage;
3-3 (12) incentives the state and units of local
3-4 government could provide for construction of support facilities for
3-5 motion-picture and television production;
3-6 (13) incentives for Texas-based funding for film and
3-7 television projects originating in Texas; and
3-8 (14) how state marketing could expand current
3-9 marketing and promotional efforts of existing production centers
3-10 and facilities.
3-11 (d) On completion of the study, if the commission determines
3-12 that a project to construct, own, share ownership, or assist in the
3-13 development of any facility in accordance with this section is
3-14 feasible, the commission shall propose a project plan for
3-15 construction, ownership, and management of the facility. The
3-16 commission shall submit the plan to the Legislative Budget Board
3-17 not later than September 1, 1996. The plan must include:
3-18 (1) the text of any interagency or intergovernmental
3-19 agreements that are necessary for joint sharing of costs and
3-20 revenues associated with the facility;
3-21 (2) a budget for constructing the facility; and
3-22 (3) methods to finance construction of the facility.
3-23 (e) If the Legislative Budget Board gives its prior approval
3-24 to the expenditure of money appropriated to the commission for the
3-25 purpose of constructing the facility and related project expenses,
3-26 the comptroller certifies that sufficient funds are available, and
3-27 the governor does not disapprove the action of the Legislative
4-1 Budget Board within 14 days of its action, the commission may
4-2 execute contracts with:
4-3 (1) other governmental entities to share the costs,
4-4 revenues, and ownership of the facility, including costs associated
4-5 with construction; and
4-6 (2) private entities for the construction or
4-7 management of the facility.
4-8 (f) The commission and the other facility owners must manage
4-9 the facility through a contract with a private entity. The
4-10 contract must be awarded in accordance with applicable state
4-11 procurement laws.
4-12 (g) On approval of the expenditure of money appropriated to
4-13 the commission for the purpose of constructing the facility and
4-14 related project expenses by the Legislative Budget Board, charge
4-15 and control of the real property selected by the commission for the
4-16 facility site in the plan submitted to the Legislative Budget Board
4-17 is transferred to the commission. The commission may share title
4-18 to the facility and other improvements on the facility site related
4-19 to the construction of the facility with the other owners of the
4-20 facility.
4-21 (h) Any revenues received by the commission under this
4-22 section that are not appropriated to the commission for the
4-23 administration of this section shall be deposited to the credit of
4-24 the Texas cultural endowment fund. Any revenues received by
4-25 another state agency under this section may be used by the agency
4-26 for its costs related to the administration of this section or for
4-27 other costs related to the operation of the agency.
5-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
5-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
5-7 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
5-8 Amend SB 1677 as follows:
5-9 On page 1, line 8, strike the word "The" and replace it with
5-10 the phrase, "Using appropriated funds, the".
5-11 On page 1, line 9, after the word "commission", add the
5-12 phrase ", in conjunction with the Texas Department of Commerce".
5-13 Hunter of Taylor
5-14 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 2
5-15 Amend SB1677 as follows:
5-16 On page 2, line 5, delete the words "in Travis or Williamson
5-17 County".
5-18 On page 2, line 25, delete the words "in Travis or Williamson
5-19 County".
5-20 Hunter of Taylor
5-21 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 3
5-22 Amend SB1677 by deleting all of page 4.
5-23 Hunter of Taylor