By Solis                                               H.B. No. 931
         77R2035 JMG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a coordinated economic development plan for the state.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
 1-6              SUBCHAPTER G. STATEWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
 1-7           Sec. 481.101.  COORDINATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. The
 1-8     department, in consultation with the comptroller, shall develop a
 1-9     coordinated, comprehensive economic development plan to provide for
1-10     the orderly development and management of economic development in
1-11     this state.  The plan must provide for:
1-12                 (1)  establishing goals and standards to measure
1-13     whether state efforts are having a positive economic effect;
1-14                 (2)  tracking benefits and wage and retention
1-15     performance measures; and
1-16                 (3)  reevaluating economic development initiatives that
1-17     offer fewer benefits in relation to their costs.
1-18           Sec. 481.102.  INITIAL PLAN; UPDATES. (a)  No later than
1-19     September 1, 2002, the department shall adopt the comprehensive
1-20     state economic development plan.
1-21           (b)  Each fifth following year the department, in
1-22     consultation with the comptroller, shall update the plan.
1-23           Sec. 481.103.  USE OF PLAN. (a)  The state economic
1-24     development plan shall be a guide to state economic development
 2-1     policy.  The department shall take the plan into consideration in
 2-2     matters coming before it.
 2-3           (b)  The department shall disseminate the plan to local
 2-4     governments and shall encourage the local governments to use the
 2-5     suggested standards to improve efficient allocation and use of
 2-6     economic development resources.
 2-7           (c)  Local economic development efforts that produce a cost
 2-8     to the state shall adopt the goals and standards established by the
 2-9     plan.
2-10           Sec. 481.104.  RULES. The department by rule shall adopt
2-11     guidance principles for the state economic development plan that
2-12     reflect the public interest of the entire state, including the
2-13     needs of rural and urban areas, economically depressed areas, and
2-14     areas experiencing significant changes in population.
2-15           Sec. 481.105.  DELIVERY OF PLAN AND UPDATES. The department
2-16     shall promptly deliver the state economic development plan and each
2-17     update of the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and
2-18     the speaker of the house of representatives and present the plan
2-19     for review to the appropriate legislative committees.  The plan and
2-20     updates must include legislative recommendations that the
2-21     department believes are needed and desirable to facilitate more
2-22     voluntary economic development.
2-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-24     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-25     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-26     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-27     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
 3-1                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
 3-2           Amend H.B. 931, on page 2, line 8, by striking "shall" and
 3-3     substituting "may".
 3-4                                                                   Solis