BILL ANALYSIS
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority was created by the 75th Legislature to oversee the transition of the Reese Air Force Base to domestic uses after its closure under the federal Base Realignment and Closure process. The Board of the Authority has had continued difficulty in making a quorum at their meetings and is limited in its power to create revenue for its purposes.
C.S.S.B. 1751 reduces the number of directors from nine to seven, amends the criteria for appointment as a director, allows the existing board to make recommendations for new board members, and authorizes the district to issues bonds for any authority purpose.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.S.B. 1751 amends Chapter 3501, Special District Local Laws Code, by modifying the number of board members sitting on the Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority, making changes to the requirements for appointment to that board, and authorizing the district to issue bonds.
The bill changes the number of board appointments by the City of Lubbock from seven to five, requires that those appointments be made from a list recommended by the board and requires the commissioners court of Lubbock County to make their appointment from a list recommended by the board. The bill also requires the appointments made by the City of Lubbock and Lubbock County to occupied by persons with experience in real estate, finance, manufacturing, agriculture, or general business.
In addition, C.S.S.B. 1751 authorizes the board to appoint advisory boards to assist the board in administering the purposes of the district and issue bonds or other obligations for any authority purpose payable from any source of authority revenue.
The changes to the Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority applying to directors of the board made by this bill do not apply to the those directors serving immediately before the effective date of this act. The terms of the existing board members expire September 30, 2005 and the City of Lubbock, Lubbock County, and South Plains Association of Government shall appoint new members as required by the changes in this bill.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005 or immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The original version of the bill authorized the Commissioners Court of Lubbock County to appoint two directors to the board and did not require that they be appointed from a recommended list. In addition, the City of Lubbock governing body was authorized to appoint four directors. The substitute requires that the City of Lubbock appoint five board directors, that the number of directors appointed by Lubbock County remain at one appointment, as is current law, and requires that all appointments be made from a list of recommended directors.