| TO: | Honorable David Swinford, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1038 by Lucio (Relating to authorizing a special events trust fund to support certain Olympic events, including training and development activities.), As Engrossed |
The bill would amend Article 5190.14, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, relating to the other events trust fund.
The bill would amend the population requirement for an "endorsing county" from one million to 250,000 people. The bill would expand the definition of "game" to include a national collegiate championship of an amateur sport, an Olympic activity, training program, or feeder program sanctioned by the United States Olympic Committee's Community Olympic Development Program.
The bill would expand the definition of a "site selection organization" to include the United States Olympic Committee, or the national governing body of a sport that is recognized as such by the United States Olympic Committee.
Currently, the Other Events Trust Fund Section will expire on January 1, 2007. This bill would repeal the expiration date and make the Other Events Trust Fund permanent.
The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment, assuming that it received the requisite two-thirds majority votes in both houses of the Legislature. Otherwise, it would take effect on September 1, 2005.
According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, it is not known which counties that meet the population requirement would be selected by an appropriate site selection organization or would host an allowed game. It is also not known whether or when any events applicable to the Other Events Trust Fund would be chosen to be hosted by Texas in the future, or if the participating municipalities or counties would hold an election to approve its portion of the applicable taxes being sent to the Other Events Trust Fund and if the proposal would be approved by the voters. Therefore, the fiscal impact on state and local governments cannot be estimated.
| Source Agencies: | 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, JRO, SR, WP, EB
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