AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 1068 allows the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) to lease unused, unneeded, state-owned parking lot spaces and parking garage spaces to individuals, institutions of higher education, and businesses.
Private individuals would be allowed to rent out unused individual spaces, while institutions of higher education, private businesses, and government entities would be allowed to rent out significant blocks of unused parking lot spaces and parking garage spaces.
The revenue generated under the section on leasing individual parking spaces would go to the general revenue fund, and the money received from the section on renting out significant blocks would go to the general revenue fund and be appropriated to support the TEXAS grant program. Every other year, TFC would submit a report regarding the effectiveness of the program to the Legislative Budget Board.
As proposed, S.B. 1068 amends current law relating to the lease of certain state parking facilities to other persons.
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 the heading to Section 2165.2035, Government Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 2165.2035. LEASE OF SPACE IN STATE-OWNED PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES; USE AFTER HOURS.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 2165, Government Code, by adding Sections 2165.204, 2165.2045, and 2165.2046, as follows:
Sec. 2165.204. LEASE OF SPACE IN STATE-OWNED PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES; EXCESS INDIVIDUAL PARKING SPACES. (a) Authorizes the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) to lease to a private individual an individual parking space in a state-owned parking lot or garage located in the city of Austin that TFC determines is not needed to accommodate the regular parking requirements of state employees who work near the lot or garage and visitors to nearby state government offices.
(b) Requires that money received from a lease under this section be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund.
Sec. 2165.2045. LEASE OF SPACE IN STATE-OWNED PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES; EXCESS BLOCKS OF PARKING SPACE. (a) Authorizes TFC to lease to an institution of higher education or a local government all or a significant block of a state-owned parking lot or garage located in the city of Austin that TFC determines is not needed to accommodate the regular parking requirements of state employees who work near the lot or garage and visitors to nearby state government offices.
(b) Requires that money received from a lease under this section be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund and authorizes it to be appropriated only to fund the TEXAS grant program administered under Subchapter M (Toward Excellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) Grant Program), Chapter 56 (Student Financial Assistance), Education Code.
Sec. 2165.2046. REPORTS ON PARKING PROGRAMS. Requires TFC, on or before October 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit a report to the Legislative Budget Board describing the effectiveness of parking programs developed by TFC under this subchapter. Requires that the report, at a minimum, include:
(1) the yearly revenue generated by the programs;
(2) the yearly administrative and enforcement costs of each program;
(3) yearly usage statistics for each program; and
(4) initiatives and suggestions by TFC to:
(A) modify administration of the programs; and
(B) increase revenue generated by the programs.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.