BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 771

                                                                                                                                 By: West, Royce

Intergovernmental Relations

4/21/2005

Committee Report (Amended)

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Areas in a municipality that arrest, impair, or retard the sound growth of the municipality are injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of its residents.

S.B. 771 authorizes the designation of a municipal area as a reinvestment zone for the purpose of addressing a substantial number of substandard, slum, deteriorated, or deteriorating structures.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 311.005(a), Tax Code, to include the presence of structures, other than single-family residential structures, that have been substantially vacant or underused for at least five years, among those conditions under which an area may be designated as a reinvestment zone.

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 311.008, Tax Code, by adding Subsection (e) to specify that the implementation of a project plan to alleviate certain conditions and to promote development or redevelopment of a reinvestment zone in accordance with this chapter serves a public purpose.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.

AMENDMENT

Committee Amendment No. 1.

Amend S.B. 771, in page 2, lines 6-7, by striking the words "or underused."