BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1166
80R3624 DRH-D By: Gallego (Uresti)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, municipalities are authorized to derive revenue from sales and use taxes to construct, operate, maintain, or renovate municipal parks. County parks are not included in this definition. Terrell County is at a disadvantage because there are no incorporated towns in the county and is therefore unable to use such taxes to develop a recreational facility or park.
H.B. 1166 authorizes a county that has a population of less than 2,000 and that contains no incorporated territory of a municipality to develop county parks and recreation systems under the definition of venue projects.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 334, Local Government Code, by adding Section 334.008, as follows:
Sec. 334.008. PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM AS VENUE PROJECT: CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Authorizes a county that has a population of less than 2,000 and that contains no incorporated territory of a municipality to provide for the planning, acquisition, establishment, development, construction, or renovation of a county parks and recreation system as a venue project under this chapter.
(b) Provides that the venue project authorized by Subsection (a) includes improvements or additions to the county parks and recreation system, and an area or facility that is part of the county parks and recreation system.
(c) Provides that, to the extent that a provision of this chapter, including Sections 334.024(f), 334.1015, and 334.2515, applies to a venue project that is a municipal parks and recreation system or facility, those provisions apply to a venue project authorized by this section, and references to a municipality are considered references to a county to which this section applies.
(d) Provide that a county that authorizes a venue project described by this section maintains the authority granted under this section even if at a later time a part of the county becomes incorporated in a municipality.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.