1-1     By:  Lindsay                                           S.B. No. 870
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2001; February 26, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
 1-4     Relations; April 9, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable
 1-5     Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0;
 1-6     April 9, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 870                  By:  Lindsay
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the authority of a commissioners court of a county to
1-11     authorize certain community and economic development programs.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Section 381.004, Local Government Code, is
1-14     amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to
1-15     read as follows:
1-16           (b)  To stimulate business and commercial activity in a
1-17     county, the commissioners court of the county may develop and
1-18     administer a program:
1-19                 (1)  for state or local economic development;
1-20                 (2)  for small or disadvantaged business development;
1-21                 (3)  to stimulate, encourage, and develop business
1-22     location and commercial activity in the county; [or]
1-23                 (4)  to promote or advertise the county and its
1-24     vicinity or conduct a solicitation program to attract conventions,
1-25     visitors, and businesses;
1-26                 (5)  to improve the extent to which women and minority
1-27     businesses are awarded county contracts;
1-28                 (6)  to support comprehensive literacy programs for the
1-29     benefit of county residents; or
1-30                 (7)  for the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and
1-31     application of the arts.
1-32           (f)  The commissioners court of a county may support a
1-33     children's advocacy center that provides services to abused
1-34     children.
1-35           SECTION 2.  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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