2005S0225-1  02/10/05


By:  Lucio                                                        S.B. No. 1412


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to authorizing industrial development corporations to 
undertake projects in connection with educational facilities and 
learning centers.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Paragraph A, Subdivision (11), Section 2, 
Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas 
Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
			(A)  "Project" shall mean the land, buildings, 
equipment, facilities, expenditures, targeted infrastructure, and 
improvements (one or more) that are for the creation or retention of 
primary jobs and that are found by the board of directors to be 
required or suitable for the development, retention, or expansion 
of manufacturing and industrial facilities, educational 
facilities, research and development facilities, transportation 
facilities (including but not limited to airports, ports, mass 
commuting facilities, and parking facilities), sewage or solid 
waste disposal facilities, recycling facilities, air or water 
pollution control facilities, facilities for the furnishing of 
water to the general public, distribution centers, small warehouse 
facilities capable of serving as decentralized storage and 
distribution centers, primary job training facilities for use by 
institutions of higher education, and regional or national 
corporate headquarters facilities.
	"Project" also includes job training required or suitable for 
the promotion of development and expansion of business enterprises 
and other enterprises described by this Act, as provided by Section 
38 of this Act.
	"Project" also includes expenditures found by the board of 
directors to be required or suitable for infrastructure necessary 
to promote or develop new or expanded business enterprises limited 
to streets and roads, rail spurs, water and electric utilities, gas 
utilities, drainage and related improvements, and 
telecommunications and Internet improvements.
	SECTION 2.  Subdivision (2), Subsection (a), Section 4B, 
Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas 
Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
		(2)  "Project" means land, buildings, equipment, 
facilities, expenditures, and improvements included in the 
definition of that term under Section 2 of this Act, and includes 
job training as provided by Section 38 of this Act.  For purposes of 
this section, the term includes recycling facilities, and land, 
buildings, equipment, facilities, and improvements found by the 
board of directors to:
			(A)  be required or suitable for use for 
professional and amateur (including children's) sports, athletic, 
entertainment, tourist, convention, and public park purposes and 
events, including stadiums, ball parks, auditoriums, 
amphitheaters, concert halls, learning centers, parks and park 
facilities, open space improvements, museums, exhibition 
facilities, and related store, restaurant, concession, and 
automobile parking facilities, related area transportation 
facilities, and related roads, streets, and water and sewer 
facilities, and other related improvements that enhance any of 
those items;
			(B)  promote or develop new or expanded business 
enterprises that create or retain primary jobs, including a project 
to provide public safety facilities, streets and roads, drainage 
and related improvements, demolition of existing structures, 
general municipally owned improvements, as well as any improvements 
or facilities that are related to any of those projects and any 
other project that the board in its discretion determines promotes 
or develops new or expanded business enterprises that create or 
retain primary jobs;
			(C)  be required or suitable for the promotion of 
development and expansion of affordable housing, as defined by 42 
U.S.C. Section 12745;
			(D)  be required or suitable for the development 
or improvement of water supply facilities, including dams, 
transmission lines, well field developments, and other water supply 
alternatives; or
			(E)  be required or suitable for the development 
and institution of water conservation programs, including 
incentives to install water-saving plumbing fixtures, educational 
programs, brush control programs, and programs to replace 
malfunctioning or leaking water lines and other water facilities.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.