By:  Zaffirini                                        S.B. No. 1290
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the requirements for the conveyance of an interest in
 1-2     real property from a political subdivision to an institution of
 1-3     higher education.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 272.001, Local Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (j) to
 1-7     read as follows:
 1-8           (a)  Except for the types of land and interests covered by
 1-9     Subsection (b), (g), (h), [or] (i), or (j), and except as provided
1-10     by Section 253.008, before land owned by a political subdivision of
1-11     the state may be sold or exchanged for other land, notice to the
1-12     general public of the offer of the land for sale or exchange must
1-13     be published in a newspaper of general circulation in either the
1-14     county in which the land is located or, if there is no such
1-15     newspaper, in an adjoining county.  The notice must include a
1-16     description of the land, including its location, and the procedure
1-17     by which sealed bids to purchase the land or offers to exchange the
1-18     land may be submitted.  The notice must be published on two
1-19     separate dates and the sale or exchange may not be made until after
1-20     the 14th day after the date of the second publication.
1-21           (j)  A political subdivision may donate, exchange, convey,
1-22     sell, or lease land or an interest in real property to an
1-23     institution of higher education, as that term is defined by Section
1-24     61.003, Education Code, to promote a public purpose related to
 2-1     higher education.  The political subdivision shall determine the
 2-2     terms and conditions of the transaction so as to effectuate and
 2-3     maintain the public purpose.  A political subdivision may donate,
 2-4     exchange, convey, sell, or lease the land or interest for less than
 2-5     its fair market value and without complying with the notice and
 2-6     bidding requirements of Subsection (a).
 2-7           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-12     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-13     passage, and it is so enacted.