By Reyna of Bexar H.B. No. 140
76R1604 AJA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the state's support of certain municipalities' bids to
1-3 host the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2012 Summer Olympic Games
1-4 and agreements relating to the hosting of those international
1-5 sporting events.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. (a) It is the public policy of this state to
1-8 encourage cooperation among the nations of this hemisphere and the
1-9 world through the hosting of international sporting competitions
1-10 within this state. The state strongly supports and encourages the
1-11 City of San Antonio's bid to host the 2007 Pan American Games and
1-12 the bids of the cities of Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and
1-13 Houston to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games because holding the
1-14 games in this state will:
1-15 (1) give the world an opportunity to see and enjoy the
1-16 abundant natural beauty of the state;
1-17 (2) further a spirit of cooperation among diverse
1-18 nations and cultures of the hemisphere and world; and
1-19 (3) encourage economic development of the state by
1-20 providing substantial economic benefits and invaluable publicity to
1-21 the affected municipalities and regions and to the state.
1-22 (b) Therefore, it is the purpose of this Act to set up a
1-23 method for the state to enter into any agreement necessary to
1-24 persuade the United States Olympic Committee, the Pan American
2-1 Sports Organization, or the International Olympic Committee to make
2-2 the state and a municipality of this state its choice of location
2-3 for the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
2-4 (c) This section expires January 1, 2003.
2-5 SECTION 2. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
2-6 by adding Chapter 449 to read as follows:
2-7 CHAPTER 449. GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO
2-8 AGREEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF TEXAS MUNICIPALITIES' BIDS
2-9 TO HOST THE PAN AMERICAN GAMES AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES
2-10 Sec. 449.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
2-11 (1) "Bid committee" means a nonprofit corporation
2-12 organized under the laws of this state to pursue the bid of a Texas
2-13 municipality to host the 2007 Pan American Games or the 2012 Summer
2-14 Olympic Games.
2-15 (2) "Organizing committee for the games" means an
2-16 organization formed to replace the bid committee when a
2-17 municipality represented by the bid committee is selected by the
2-18 United States Olympic Committee and the Pan American Sports
2-19 Organization or the International Olympic Committee as the host
2-20 city for the Pan American Games or the Olympic Games.
2-21 Sec. 449.002. GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY TO ENTER AGREEMENTS. In
2-22 order to support a Texas municipality's bid to host the 2007 Pan
2-23 American Games or the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the governor may
2-24 execute, on behalf of the state, any agreement required by the
2-25 United States Olympic Committee on terms or conditions that the
2-26 governor considers appropriate and that are permitted by state law.
2-27 An agreement may allow the state to:
3-1 (1) provide or cause to be provided all of the
3-2 governmental funding, services, facilities, and other resources
3-3 contemplated by the bid committee's bid;
3-4 (2) be bound by the terms of, cause the bid committee
3-5 to perform, or guarantee performance of, the bid committee's
3-6 obligations under the bid committee's agreements with the United
3-7 States Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee, or
3-8 the Pan American Sports Organization; and
3-9 (3) be liable with the bid committee and the
3-10 organizing committee for the games for:
3-11 (A) obligations of the bid committee or the
3-12 organizing committee for the games to the United States Olympic
3-13 Committee, the International Olympic Committee, or the Pan American
3-14 Sports Organization, including obligations indemnifying each of
3-15 those entities against claims of, and liabilities to, third parties
3-16 arising out of or relating to the Pan American Games or the Summer
3-17 Olympic Games; and
3-18 (B) any financial deficit of the bid committee,
3-19 the organizing committee for the games, the Pan American Games, or
3-20 the Summer Olympic Games.
3-21 Sec. 449.003. EFFECT OF AGREEMENT. (a) The governor may
3-22 take any action within the governor's powers to properly request,
3-23 pursue, and obtain funds necessary to satisfy any of the state's
3-24 obligations under an agreement executed in accordance with this
3-25 chapter.
3-26 (b) An agreement under this chapter may not:
3-27 (1) bind the taxing power of the state;
4-1 (2) require the state to assume debt or lend the
4-2 credit of the state in violation of the laws of the state; or
4-3 (3) otherwise violate the laws of the state, including
4-4 any laws relating to the appropriation of money.
4-5 Sec. 449.004. CONSTRUCTION OF AGREEMENTS. An agreement
4-6 executed in accordance with this chapter is governed by and
4-7 construed in accordance with the laws of this state.
4-8 Sec. 449.005. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires January 1,
4-9 2003.
4-10 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-15 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-16 passage, and it is so enacted.