1-1 By: Solis (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh) H.B. No. 931 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Business 1-4 and Commerce; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to a coordinated economic development plan for the state. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by 1-11 adding Subchapter G to read as follows: 1-12 SUBCHAPTER G. STATEWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1-13 Sec. 481.101. COORDINATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. The 1-14 department, in consultation with the comptroller, shall develop a 1-15 coordinated, comprehensive economic development plan to provide for 1-16 the orderly development and management of economic development in 1-17 this state. The plan must provide for: 1-18 (1) establishing goals and standards to measure 1-19 whether state efforts are having a positive economic effect; 1-20 (2) tracking benefits and wage and retention 1-21 performance measures; and 1-22 (3) reevaluating economic development initiatives that 1-23 offer fewer benefits in relation to their costs. 1-24 Sec. 481.102. INITIAL PLAN; UPDATES. (a) No later than 1-25 September 1, 2002, the department shall adopt the comprehensive 1-26 state economic development plan. 1-27 (b) Each fifth following year the department, in 1-28 consultation with the comptroller, shall update the plan. 1-29 Sec. 481.103. USE OF PLAN. (a) The state economic 1-30 development plan shall be a guide to state economic development 1-31 policy. The department shall take the plan into consideration in 1-32 matters coming before it. 1-33 (b) The department shall disseminate the plan to local 1-34 governments and shall encourage the local governments to use the 1-35 suggested standards to improve efficient allocation and use of 1-36 economic development resources. 1-37 (c) Local economic development efforts that produce a cost 1-38 to the state may adopt the goals and standards established by the 1-39 plan. 1-40 Sec. 481.104. RULES. The department by rule shall adopt 1-41 guidance principles for the state economic development plan that 1-42 reflect the public interest of the entire state, including the 1-43 needs of rural and urban areas, economically depressed areas, and 1-44 areas experiencing significant changes in population. 1-45 Sec. 481.105. DELIVERY OF PLAN AND UPDATES. The department 1-46 shall promptly deliver the state economic development plan and each 1-47 update of the plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and 1-48 the speaker of the house of representatives and present the plan 1-49 for review to the appropriate legislative committees. The plan and 1-50 updates must include legislative recommendations that the 1-51 department believes are needed and desirable to facilitate more 1-52 voluntary economic development. 1-53 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-54 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-55 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 1-56 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 1-57 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-58 * * * * *