HBA-AMW C.S.H.B. 2320 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2320
By: Talton
Land & Resource Management
4/6/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Houston has been working for years to bring new businesses to, and
stimulate the redevelopment of, Ellington Field, a joint use civil and
military airport.  Often, businesses present proposals that may create
additional revenue and economic revitalization for Ellington Field, but
negotiations are stalled 
or halted because the Houston Airport System (HAS) can only offer long-term
leases or the sale of the requisite property through the sealed bid
process.  Concerns have been raised that the current process of disposing
of surplus airport property is time consuming and may constrain HAS from
successfully redeveloping Ellington Field.  Allowing municipalities
throughout Texas to redevelop air navigation facilities in a less
restrictive manner may create additional revenue and economic regeneration
of these properties. C.S.H.B. 2320 provides that specified competitive
bidding requirements do not apply to the disposition by a municipality of
an air navigation facility that is a former military installation if the
disposition promotes the best interest of the municipality and is targeted
toward redevelopment of the property. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2320 amends the Transportation Code to provide that the provisions
regarding the sale or lease of property by municipalities or the purchasing
and contracting authority of municipalities, which encompass competitive
bidding requirements and procedures, do not apply to an exchange, sale,
lease, or other disposition of land or other real property interest by a
municipality if the land or other property interest is part of an air
navigation facility that is a former military installation, the disposition
is part of a plan to redevelop the facility as an airport-related
industrial park or community, and the disposition promotes the best
interest of the municipality. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2320 modifies the original bill to conform to Texas Legislative
Council style and format. 
The substitute removes the provision from the original bill which limited
the applicability of these provisions to municipalities with a population
of 1.6 million or more.  The substitute modifies the original bill by
adding that the provisions regarding the sale or lease of property by
municipalities or the purchasing and contracting authority of
municipalities do not apply to the disposition of property in certain air
navigation facilities if it is targeted toward redevelopment of the
property and promotes the municipality's best interest.