By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1654

(In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2009; March 20, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; April 2, 2009, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 2, 2009, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the criteria for evaluating requests for defense economic adjustment assistance grants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 486.008, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 486.008. EVALUATION OF APPLICATION. The panel shall evaluate each application and assign the applicant a score based on:

(1) the significance of the adverse or positive effect within the local governmental entity, including the number of jobs lost or gained in relation to the workforce in the local governmental entity's jurisdiction and the effect on the area's economy and tax revenue;

(2) the extent to which the local governmental entity has used its existing resources to promote local economic development;

(3) the amount of any grant that the local governmental entity has previously received under this chapter;

(4) the anticipated number of jobs to be created or retained in relation to the amount of the grant sought; and

(5) the extent to which the grant will affect the region in which the local governmental entity is located.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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