1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to disposition of public property in a readjustment zone.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 2310.410, Government Code, is amended to
 1-5     read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 2310.410. DISPOSITION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY IN READJUSTMENT
 1-7     ZONE.  (a)  After an area is designated as a readjustment zone, the
 1-8     state, a municipality, or a county that owns a surplus building or
 1-9     vacant land in the zone may dispose of the building or land by:
1-10                 (1)  selling the building or land at a public auction;
1-11                 (2)  selling the building or land without notice or
1-12     bidding as provided by Subsection (d); or
1-13                 (3) [(2)]  establishing an urban homestead program
1-14     described by Subsection (e) [(c)].
1-15           (b)  A municipality or county may sell a surplus building or
1-16     vacant land in the readjustment zone at less than fair market value
1-17     if the governing body of the municipality or county by ordinance or
1-18     order, as appropriate, adopts criteria that specify the conditions
1-19     and circumstances under which the sale may occur and the public
1-20     purpose to be achieved by the sale.  [The building or land may be
1-21     sold to a buyer who is not the highest bidder if the criteria and
1-22     public purpose specified in the ordinance or order are satisfied.]
1-23     A copy of the ordinance or order must be filed with the department
1-24     not later than the day on which the sale occurs.
 2-1           (c)  If the surplus building or vacant land is sold at a
 2-2     public auction, the  building or land may be sold to a buyer who is
 2-3     not the highest bidder if the criteria and public purpose specified
 2-4     in the ordinance or order adopted under Subsection (b) are
 2-5     satisfied.
 2-6           (d)  The surplus building or vacant land may be sold without
 2-7     complying with notice or bidding requirements if the criteria and
 2-8     public purpose specified in the ordinance or order adopted under
 2-9     Subsection (b) are satisfied.
2-10           (e) [(c)]  An urban homestead program must provide that:
2-11                 (1)  the state, municipality, or county is to sell to
2-12     an individual a residence or part of a residence that it owns for
2-13     an amount not to exceed $100;
2-14                 (2)  as a condition of the sale, the individual must
2-15     agree by covenant in the deed conveying the residence to live in
2-16     the residence for at least seven years and to renovate or remodel
2-17     the residence to meet the level of maintenance stated in an
2-18     agreement between the individual and the governmental entity; and
2-19                 (3)  after the individual satisfies the seven-year
2-20     residency and property improvement requirements of the agreement,
2-21     the governmental entity shall assign the residence to the
2-22     individual.
2-23           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 3-1     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-2     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 3161 was passed by the House on April
         30, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 0, 2 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 3161 was passed by the Senate on May
         20, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor