BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1509

                                                                                                                                            By: Lucio

                                                                                                                               Natural Resources

                                                                                                                                            5/28/2007

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under Section 31.0672 (Authority to Conduct Certain Real Property Transactions), Natural Resources Code, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has the authority to directly sell to a political subdivision any real property owned by the state that the legislature has authorized or the governor has approved for sale.  A political subdivision is defined by the Natural Resources Code as a municipality, county, public school district, levee improvement district, municipal utility district, or any other special purpose district authorized by state law.  Economic development corporations are organized under the Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6, V.T.C.S.) and perform public functions, thus making them state instrumentalities similar to political subdivisions. 

 

S.B. 1509 includes economic development corporations under Section 31.0672 to authorize GLO to directly sell to an economic development corporation real property owned by the state without broadly expanding the definition of a political subdivision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 31.0672(a), Natural Resources Code, to include a development corporation organized under the Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6, V.T.C.S.), as an entity the asset management division of the General Land Office is authorized to directly sell to any real property owned by the state that meets certain conditions.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.