BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1654

81R10942 MCK-D                                                                                                 By: Van de Putte

                                                                                             Veteran Affairs & Military Installations

                                                                                                                                            3/31/2009

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In 2003, the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, created the Texas Military Preparedness Commission (TMPC) as a trusteed program within the office of the governor to assist local defense communities in identifying and using economic development resources that enhance the military value of their installations.  TMPC's mission is to preserve and expand Texas' 18 major military installations and their missions, and assist communities that have been impacted by a United States Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action.

 

Defense communities affected by federal government decisions, such as BRAC process, struggle to create new jobs for citizens and to retain existing jobs potentially affected by BRAC.  Texas has developed the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) program to assist these communities in creating jobs.  However, several of the existing guarantees have not met their job creation goals as set out in their contract for the grant award.  In some cases, communities used grant funds in a way that helped those communities retain existing jobs.  While not unreasonable, this approach did not meet the terms of the grant.

 

As proposed,  S.B. 1654 requires the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Panel to evaluate each application and assign the applicant a score based on certain factors, including the anticipated number of jobs to be created or retained in relation to the amount of the grant sought.

 

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 486.008, Government Code, to require the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Panel to evaluate each application and assign the applicant a score based on certain factors, including the anticipated number of jobs to be created or retained in relation to the amount of the grant sought.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.