1-1 By: Van de Putte, Truan S.B. No. 944 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 26, 2001; February 28, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental 1-4 Relations; April 17, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable 1-5 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; 1-6 April 17, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 944 By: Staples 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the contracting authority of certain hospital districts 1-11 to enter into or modify a tax abatement agreement. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 281, Health and Safety 1-14 Code, is amended by adding Section 281.095 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 281.095. PROHIBITION AGAINST PARTICIPATION IN TAX 1-16 ABATEMENT AGREEMENT: BEXAR COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, EL PASO 1-17 COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, AND 1-18 NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. (a) In this section, "district" 1-19 means the Bexar County Hospital District, the El Paso County 1-20 Hospital District, the Harris County Hospital District, and the 1-21 Nueces County Hospital District. 1-22 (b) The district may not enter into a contract or agreement 1-23 to participate in a tax abatement agreement under Section 311.0125, 1-24 Tax Code, or Chapter 312, Tax Code. This subsection does not 1-25 affect the validity of a tax abatement agreement entered into by 1-26 the district before September 1, 2001. 1-27 (c) A tax abatement agreement entered into before September 1-28 1, 2001, may not be amended on or after September 1, 2001, to: 1-29 (1) increase the amount of the tax abatement of the 1-30 district; or 1-31 (2) increase the time during which the district may 1-32 participate in the tax abatement agreement. 1-33 (d) An agreement entered into by the district under Section 1-34 311.0125, Tax Code, or Chapter 312, Tax Code, before September 1, 1-35 2001, may not be amended on or after September 1, 2001, to include 1-36 any of the conditions prohibited by Subsection (c). 1-37 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-38 * * * * *