BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1222

81R4359 GCB-D                                                                                                                By: Eltife

                                                                                                               Intergovernmental Relations

                                                                                                                                            4/21/2009

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Red River Redevelopment Authority (authority) was created in 1997 by the 75th Legislature in response to the realignment of part of the Red River Army Depot under the Federal Base Realignment and Closure Act.  The property received from the Department of the Army is currently being redeveloped as a business and industrial park.  Since the initial realignment, an additional 3,800 acres of the Red River Army Depot has been added and the Department of Defense will soon convey to the authority 10,500 acres of the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant property.  This additional acreage will be available for redevelopment.  Statutory change is necessary to give the authority additional powers to assist in the redevelopment efforts.

 

As proposed,  S.B. 1222 gives the authority the ability to utilize Chapter 22 (County and Municipal Airports), Transportation Code, to develop an intermodal transportation facility.  This bill authorizes the authority to exercise the powers of a defense base development authority as provided under Chapter 379B (Defense Base Development Authorities), Local Government Code.  This bill clarifies that the territory of the authority includes real property leased to the authority along with real property conveyed to the authority by the United States.  This bill allows the authority to indemnify employees and board members, as well as former employees and board members.

 

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 3503.005, Special District Local Laws Code, as follows:

 

Sec.  3503.005.  EXPANSION OF TERRITORY.  Authorizes the Red River Redevelopment Authority's (authority) territory to be expanded as additional real property is conveyed or leased to the authority by the United States.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 3503.101(b), Special District Local Laws Code, as follows:

 

(b) Authorizes the authority to exercise any power or duty necessary or appropriate to carry out a project described by Section 3503.003(a)(3) (relating to the creation of the authority to undertake certain projects the authority's board of directors considers necessary or incidental to certain industrial, commercial, or business development, redevelopment, maintenance, and expansion of new or existing businesses) and the purposes of this chapter, including exercising the powers of Chapter 22 (County and Municipal Airports), Transportation Code, grants to a municipality or county, and exercising the powers Chapter 379B (Defense Base Development Authorities), Local Government Code, grants to a defense base development authority.  Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 3503, Special District Local Laws Code, by adding Section 3503.109, as follows:

 

Sec.  3503.109.  INDEMNITY.  Authorizes the authority to indemnify an authority employee or board member or former authority employee or board member for necessary expenses and costs, including attorney's fees, incurred by that person in connection with a claim asserted against that person if the claim relates to an act or omission of the person when acting in the scope of the person's board membership or authority employment, and the person has not been found liable or guilty on the claim.

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.