By: Truan, Shapleigh S.B. No. 1815 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to establishing a loan program to assist communities that 1-3 may be affected by federal military base closures. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 486.001 through 486.009, Government 1-6 Code, are designated as Subchapter A, Chapter 486, Government Code, 1-7 and a subchapter heading is added to read as follows: 1-8 SUBCHAPTER A. GRANTS TO LOCAL AREAS AFFECTED BY 1-9 DEFENSE BASE REDUCTION 1-10 SECTION 2. Chapter 486, Government Code, is amended by 1-11 adding Subchapter B to read as follows: 1-12 SUBCHAPTER B. REVOLVING LOANS TO COMMUNITIES POTENTIALLY 1-13 AFFECTED BY DEFENSE BASE REDUCTION PROCESS 1-14 Sec. 486.051. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: 1-15 (1) "Account" means the community infrastructure 1-16 development revolving loan account. 1-17 (2) "Eligible community" means a local governmental 1-18 entity eligible for a grant under Section 486.003 and that is 1-19 located less than 25 miles from a defense base facility described 1-20 by Section 486.003(b)(1). 1-21 (3) "Office" means the Office of Defense Affairs. 1-22 Sec. 486.052. REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM. (a) The office shall 1-23 administer a revolving loan program for assistance to an eligible 1-24 community in developing infrastructure to minimize the possibility 1-25 of or the negative effects of defense base reduction on the 2-1 eligible community. The loans may be granted to an eligible 2-2 community before the neighboring defense base is closed. 2-3 (b) The office by rule shall establish criteria and 2-4 procedures for evaluations of applications for loans under the 2-5 program. 2-6 (c) The office by rule shall establish categories of 2-7 eligible infrastructure projects for which an eligible community 2-8 may apply for a loan. 2-9 Sec. 486.053. REVOLVING LOAN ACCOUNT. (a) The community 2-10 infrastructure development revolving loan account is an account in 2-11 the general revenue fund. 2-12 (b) The account may be used only for loans made under this 2-13 subchapter. 2-14 (c) The office may accept gifts or grants from any source 2-15 for the purposes of this subchapter. The office shall deposit 2-16 gifts or grants to the credit of the account. 2-17 (d) The office shall deposit to the credit of the account 2-18 all loan payments made by an eligible community. 2-19 SECTION 3. The Office of Defense Affairs shall adopt rules 2-20 and procedures so that the office may begin to offer loans under 2-21 Subchapter B, Chapter 486, Government Code, as added by this Act, 2-22 on or before September 1, 2003. The Office of Defense Affairs has 2-23 no duty to act under this section or Subchapter B, Chapter 486, 2-24 Government Code, as added by this Act, unless the community 2-25 infrastructure development revolving loan account in the general 2-26 revenue fund is funded sufficiently to enable the Office of Defense 3-1 Affairs to make loans under that subchapter and to pay the office's 3-2 costs of administering that subchapter. 3-3 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.