By: Van de Putte, Truan S.B. No. 944 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the contracting authority of certain hospital districts 1-3 to enter into or modify a tax abatement agreement. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 281, Health and Safety 1-6 Code, is amended by adding Section 281.095 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 281.095. PROHIBITION AGAINST PARTICIPATION IN TAX 1-8 ABATEMENT AGREEMENT: BEXAR COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, EL PASO 1-9 COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, AND 1-10 NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. (a) In this section, "district" 1-11 means the Bexar County Hospital District, the El Paso County 1-12 Hospital District, the Harris County Hospital District, and the 1-13 Nueces County Hospital District. 1-14 (b) The district may not enter into a contract or agreement 1-15 to participate in a tax abatement agreement under Section 311.0125, 1-16 Tax Code, or Chapter 312, Tax Code. This subsection does not 1-17 affect the validity of a tax abatement agreement entered into by 1-18 the district before September 1, 2001. 1-19 (c) A tax abatement agreement entered into before September 1-20 1, 2001, may not be amended on or after September 1, 2001, to: 1-21 (1) increase the amount of the tax abatement of the 1-22 district; or 1-23 (2) increase the time during which the district may 1-24 participate in the tax abatement agreement. 1-25 (d) An agreement entered into by the district under Section 2-1 311.0125, Tax Code, or Chapter 312, Tax Code, before September 1, 2-2 2001, may not be amended on or after September 1, 2001, to include 2-3 any of the conditions prohibited by Subsection (c). 2-4 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.