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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the repeal of the law relating to the Texas National |
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Research Laboratory Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.604, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.604. USE OF FUND. The commissioner shall allocate |
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the fund to eligible nonprofit organizations for the purpose of: |
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(1) establishing or operating educational programs to |
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assist women or minority group members in preparing for or |
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participating in programs leading to an undergraduate degree in |
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engineering or science from an institution of higher education; |
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(2) disseminating information concerning: |
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(A) educational and career opportunities in |
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engineering and science; and |
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(B) the fund and programs funded under this |
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subchapter; and |
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(3) establishing or operating programs to assist women |
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and minority group members in preparing for careers in |
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superconductivity research, including: |
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(A) recruitment seminars and mentorship |
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programs, in cooperation with [the Texas National Research
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Laboratory Commission and] institutions of higher education that |
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conduct superconductivity research; |
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(B) career exploration programs, in cooperation |
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with public school districts; and |
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(C) career exploration programs, recruitment |
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seminars, and mentorship programs, in cooperation with engineering |
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and scientific research organizations. |
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SECTION 2. Section 661.031(2), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(2) "State employee" means an individual who is an |
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appointed officer or employee of a state agency and who normally |
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works 900 hours or more a year. The term includes: |
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(A) an hourly employee; |
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(B) a temporary employee; |
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(C) a person employed by: |
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(i) the Teacher Retirement System of Texas; |
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(ii) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(iii) the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board; |
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(iv) [the Texas National Research
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Laboratory Commission;
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[(v)] the Texas School for the Blind and |
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Visually Impaired; |
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(v) [(vi)] the Texas School for the Deaf; |
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(vi) [(vii)] the Texas Youth Commission; |
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(vii) [(viii)] the Windham School District; |
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or |
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(viii) [(ix)] the Department of Assistive |
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and Rehabilitative Services [Texas Rehabilitation Commission]; |
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and |
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(D) a classified, administrative, faculty, or |
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professional employee of a state institution or agency of higher |
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education who has accumulated vacation leave, sick leave, or both, |
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during the employment. |
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SECTION 3. Section 661.061(2), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(2) "State employee" means an employee or appointed |
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officer of a state agency. The term includes: |
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(A) a full-time employee or officer; |
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(B) a part-time employee or officer; |
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(C) an hourly employee; |
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(D) a temporary employee; |
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(E) a person employed by: |
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(i) the Teacher Retirement System of Texas; |
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(ii) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(iii) the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board; |
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(iv) [the Texas National Research
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Laboratory Commission;
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[(v)] the Texas School for the Blind and |
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Visually Impaired; |
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(v) [(vi)] the Texas School for the Deaf; |
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(vi) [(vii)] the Texas Youth Commission; |
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(vii) [(viii)] the Windham School District; |
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or |
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(viii) [(ix)] the Department of Assistive |
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and Rehabilitative Services [Texas Rehabilitation Commission]; or |
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(F) a classified, administrative, faculty, or |
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professional employee of a state institution or agency of higher |
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education who has accumulated vacation leave during the employment. |
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SECTION 4. Section 1232.101, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 1232.101. ISSUANCE OF BONDS FOR CERTAIN STATE |
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AGENCIES. With respect to all bonds authorized to be issued by the |
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Texas Military Facilities Commission, [Texas National Research
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Laboratory Commission,] Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas |
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Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, Stephen F. Austin |
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State University, Midwestern State University, and Texas Southern |
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University, the authority has the exclusive authority to act on |
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behalf of those entities in issuing bonds on their behalf. In |
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connection with those issuances and with the issuance of refunding |
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bonds on behalf of those entities, the authority is subject to all |
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rights, duties, and conditions surrounding issuance previously |
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applicable to the issuing entity under the statute authorizing the |
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issuance. A reference in an authorizing statute to the entity on |
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whose behalf the bonds are being issued applies equally to the |
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authority in its capacity as issuer on behalf of the entity. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 2301.062 and 2301.064, Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2301.062. AGREEMENTS. A public entity or state agency |
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may make agreements with and accept donations, grants, and loans |
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from any person, including the United States, this state, a |
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department or agency of this state, a public entity, and a public or |
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private corporation, including any authority [and the Texas
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National Research Laboratory Commission]. |
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Sec. 2301.064. USE OF FUNDS. A public entity or state |
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agency may: |
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(1) use its funds, including tax revenues, to plan, |
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acquire, construct, own, operate, maintain, or enhance eligible |
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projects, including, in the case of a public entity, eligible |
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projects located outside the jurisdiction or boundaries of the |
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public entity if the governing body of the public entity determines |
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that the project will contribute to the development and |
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diversification of the economy, the elimination of unemployment or |
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underemployment, or the development or expansion of commerce within |
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the public entity; |
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(2) levy taxes to provide for payment of amounts |
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required under agreements with any person, including the United |
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States, the state, a department and agency of this state, a public |
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entity, and a public or private corporation, including any |
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authority [and the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission]; |
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and |
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(3) pledge tax revenue to the payment of agreements. |
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SECTION 6. Section 25.07(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c) of Section |
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11.11 of this code, a leasehold or other possessory interest in |
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exempt property may not be listed if: |
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(1) the property is permanent university fund land; |
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(2) the property is county public school fund |
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agricultural land; |
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(3) the property is a part of a public transportation |
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facility owned by an incorporated city or town and: |
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(A) is an airport passenger terminal building or |
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a building used primarily for maintenance of aircraft or other |
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aircraft services, for aircraft equipment storage, or for air |
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cargo; |
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(B) is an airport fueling system facility; |
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(C) is in a foreign-trade zone: |
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(i) that has been granted to a joint airport |
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board under Chapter 129, Acts of the 65th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 1977 (Article 1446.8, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); |
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(ii) the area of which in the portion of the |
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zone located in the airport operated by the joint airport board does |
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not exceed 2,500 acres; and |
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(iii) that is established and operating |
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pursuant to federal law; or |
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(D)(i) is in a foreign trade zone established |
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pursuant to federal law after June 1, 1991, which operates pursuant |
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to federal law; |
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(ii) is contiguous to or has access via a |
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taxiway to an airport located in two counties, one of which has a |
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population of 500,000 or more according to the federal decennial |
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census most recently preceding the establishment of the foreign |
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trade zone; and |
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(iii) is owned, directly or through a |
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corporation organized under the Development Corporation Act of 1979 |
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(Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), by the same |
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incorporated city or town which owns the airport; |
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(4) the interest is in a part of: |
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(A) a park, market, fairground, or similar public |
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facility that is owned by an incorporated city or town; or |
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(B) a convention center, visitor center, sports |
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facility with permanent seating, concert hall, arena, or stadium |
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that is owned by an incorporated city or town as such leasehold or |
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possessory interest serves a governmental, municipal, or public |
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purpose or function when the facility is open to the public, |
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regardless of whether a fee is charged for admission; |
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(5) the interest involves only the right to use the |
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property for grazing or other agricultural purposes; or |
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(6) [the property is owned by the Texas National
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Research Laboratory Commission or by a corporation formed by the
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Texas National Research Laboratory Commission under Section
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465.008(g), Government Code, and is used or is useful in connection
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with an eligible undertaking as defined by Section 465.021,
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Government Code; or
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[(7)] the property is: |
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(A) owned by a municipality, a public port, or a |
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navigation district created or operating under Section 59, Article |
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XVI, Texas Constitution, or under a statute enacted under Section |
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59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; and |
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(B) used as an aid or facility incidental to or |
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useful in the operation or development of a port or waterway or in |
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aid of navigation-related commerce. |
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SECTION 7. The following laws are repealed: |
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(1) Chapter 465, Government Code; and |
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(2) Sections 151.349 and 171.086, Tax Code. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |