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.
 2-5                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
 2-6           Amend S.B. 944 as follows:
 2-7           (1)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in proposed Section 281.095,
 2-8     Health and Safety Code (Engrossed Version, page 1, line 9), strike
 2-9     "HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT,".
2-10           (2)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in proposed Section
2-11     281.095(a), Health and Safety Code (Engrossed Version, page 1, line
2-12     12), strike "the Harris County Hospital District,".
2-13     77R16395 JMG-D                                               Heflin