1-1     By:  Allen (Senate Sponsor - West)                    H.B. No. 2681
 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
 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by
 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use hotel
1-10     occupancy tax revenue for certain venue projects.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Section 334.2515, Local Government Code, is
1-13     amended to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 334.2515.  APPLICATION. Except as provided by Section
1-15     334.2516, this [This] subchapter does not apply to the financing of
1-16     a venue project that is an area or facility that is part of a
1-17     municipal parks and recreation system.
1-18           SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 334, Local Government Code,
1-19     is amended by adding Section 334.2516 to read as follows:
1-20           Sec. 334.2516.  USE OF REVENUE BY CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES FOR
1-21     CERTAIN PURPOSES. (a)   This section applies only to a municipality
1-22     that:
1-23                 (1)  is located in three counties;
1-24                 (2)  has a population of less than 120,000; and
1-25                 (3)  acquires by purchase or lease with a term of not
1-26     less than 20 years an interest in real property that by the terms
1-27     of the acquisition is required to be maintained as park property.
1-28           (b)  A municipality may use revenue under this subchapter to
1-29     acquire, construct, improve, and equip a venue project that is a
1-30     convention center facility or related infrastructure to be
1-31     constructed on real property described by Subsection (a)(3).  In
1-32     addition, the municipality may pledge the revenue to the payment of
1-33     bonds or other obligations the municipality issues to finance the
1-34     convention center facility infrastructure.
1-35           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-36     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-37     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-38     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-39     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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