By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 3691
         76R8479 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the acquisition by the state of a municipal airport in
 1-3     the city of Austin that is no longer operated as a municipal
 1-4     airport.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 2165, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 2165.259 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 2165.259.  ACQUISITION OF MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.  (a)  In
 1-9     light of the fact that the city of Austin is the seat of
1-10     government, the city shall, whenever it ceases to operate a
1-11     municipal airport as an airport, sell the airport property to the
1-12     state. The state may operate the property as an airport, use
1-13     airport property for other state purposes, or both.
1-14           (b)  The commission shall purchase the airport from the city
1-15     at an agreed price, but the General Land Office shall appraise the
1-16     airport property, and the price that the commission pays may not
1-17     exceed the amount at which the General Land Office values the
1-18     property.
1-19           (c)  The city may not at any time make any agreement or take
1-20     any action that affects or will affect the right or ability of the
1-21     state:
1-22                 (1)  to buy an airport under this section; or
1-23                 (2)  to operate the airport as an airport or use the
1-24     airport property for other state purposes after the state has
 2-1     acquired the property.
 2-2           (d)  The State Airport Board shall operate an airport that
 2-3     the state acquires under this section.  The board is composed of
 2-4     five members appointed by the governor. Members of the board serve
 2-5     two-year terms. The governor shall make the initial appointments to
 2-6     the board at the time that the commission first acquires an airport
 2-7     under this section.  A member is not entitled  to compensation for
 2-8     service on the board but is entitled to reimbursement, as provided
 2-9     by the General Appropriations Act, for travel expenses incurred as
2-10     a member of the board.
2-11           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-17     passage, and it is so enacted.