BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 191
By: Brimer
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, Chapters 334 (Sports and Community Venues) and 335 (Sports and Community Venue Districts), Local Government Code, authorize communities to fund a wide variety of sports and community "venues" by levying certain taxes and issuing bonds approved by the voters. The current law was not intended to authorize a municipality to use revenue generated from such sources to finance improvements to one venue project and later use the revenue from that source to demolish that project and construct an entirely new venue project.
S.B. 191 prohibits a municipality, following an election, from designating a sports stadium as a venue project, collecting revenue to upgrade, improve, or maintain that project, and later using the revenue from that source to demolish that project and construct an entirely new venue project.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 334.003, Local Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 334.003. APPLICATION TO VENUE CONSTRUCTED UNDER OTHER LAW. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text and provides an exception.
(b) Prohibits a county or municipality from using revenue from a method of financing approved at an election held under this chapter for the purpose of improving, renovating, or expanding the venue or related infrastructure planned, acquired, established, developed, constructed, or renovated under other law, to demolish the venue and subsequently construct a new venue.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.