By Woolley                                            H.B. No. 2295
         77R6665 ATP-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the powers of Harris County Improvement District No. 1.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 6, Chapter 1026, Acts of the 70th
 1-5     Legislature, Regular Session, 1987, is amended by adding Subsection
 1-6     (C) to read as follows:
 1-7           (C)  Except as otherwise provided, Chapter 375, Local
 1-8     Government Code, applies to the district.  The district has the
 1-9     rights, powers, privileges, authority, and functions of a district
1-10     created under Chapter 375, Local Government Code.
1-11           SECTION 2.  Chapter 1026, Acts of the 70th Legislature,
1-12     Regular Session, 1987, is amended by adding Section 7A to read as
1-13     follows:
1-14           Sec. 7A.  TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS.  The district may impose an
1-15     ad valorem tax, assessment, or impact fee in accordance with
1-16     Chapter 375, Local Government Code, to provide improvements or
1-17     services for a project or activity the district is authorized to
1-18     acquire, construct, improve, or provide under this Act, if a
1-19     written petition has been filed with the board of directors,
1-20     requesting those improvements or services, signed by:
1-21                 (1)  the owners of 50 percent or more of the assessed
1-22     value of the property in the district as determined from the most
1-23     recent certified county property tax rolls; or
1-24                 (2)  25 owners of property in the district, if there
 2-1     are more than 25 persons who own property in the district as
 2-2     determined by the most recent certified county property tax rolls.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  Chapter 1026, Acts of the 70th Legislature,
 2-4     Regular Session, 1987, is amended by adding Section 7B to read as
 2-5     follows:
 2-6           Sec. 7B.  NONPROFIT CORPORATION.  (A)  The board of directors
 2-7     by resolution may authorize the creation of a nonprofit corporation
 2-8     to assist and act on behalf of the district in implementing a
 2-9     project or providing a service authorized by this Act.
2-10           (B)  The board of directors of the district shall appoint the
2-11     board of directors of a nonprofit corporation created under this
2-12     section.  The board of directors of  the nonprofit corporation
2-13     serves in the same manner as, for the same term as, and on the
2-14     conditions of the board of directors of a local government
2-15     corporation created under Chapter 431, Transportation Code.
2-16           (C)  A nonprofit corporation created under this section has
2-17     the powers of and is considered for purposes of this Act to be a
2-18     local government corporation created under Subchapter D, Chapter
2-19     431, Transportation Code.
2-20           (D)  A nonprofit corporation created under this section may
2-21     implement any project and provide any services authorized by this
2-22     Act.
2-23           SECTION 4.  Chapter 1026, Acts of the 70th Legislature,
2-24     Regular Session, 1987, is amended by adding Section 7C to read as
2-25     follows:
2-26           Sec. 7C.  MISCELLANEOUS POWERS OF DISTRICT. The district may:
2-27                 (1)  finance, acquire, construct, improve, operate,
 3-1     maintain, or charge fees for the use of conduits for fiber-optic
 3-2     cable, electronic transmission lines, or other types of
 3-3     transmission lines and supporting facilities; or
 3-4                 (2)  finance, acquire, construct, improve, operate, or
 3-5     maintain conference centers and supporting facilities.
 3-6           SECTION 5.  (a)  The legislature validates and confirms all
 3-7     governmental acts and proceedings of the Harris County Improvement
 3-8     District No. 1 and the district's board of directors that occurred
 3-9     before the effective date of this Act.
3-10           (b)  This section does not apply to any matter that on the
3-11     effective date of this Act:
3-12                 (1)  is involved in litigation if the litigation
3-13     ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final
3-14     judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; or
3-15                 (2)  has been held invalid by a court of competent
3-16     jurisdiction.
3-17           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-18     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-19     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
3-20     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-21     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.