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        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to local government contracts with private entities for | 
      
        |  | civil works projects and improvements to real property. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 271, Local Government | 
      
        |  | Code, is amended by adding Section 271.908 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 271.908.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE | 
      
        |  | ENTITIES FOR CIVIL WORKS PROJECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO REAL | 
      
        |  | PROPERTY.  (a)  In this section, "civil works project" and "local | 
      
        |  | governmental entity" have the meanings assigned by Section 271.181. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A local governmental entity may contract with a private | 
      
        |  | entity to act as the local governmental entity's agent in the | 
      
        |  | design, development, financing, maintenance, operation, or | 
      
        |  | construction, including oversight and inspection, of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a civil works project; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  an improvement to real property. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A local governmental entity contracting under this | 
      
        |  | section shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  select the private entity based on the private | 
      
        |  | entity's qualifications and experience; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  enter into a project development agreement with | 
      
        |  | the private entity. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The selected private entity shall comply with: | 
      
        |  | (1)  Chapters 1001 and 1051, Occupations Code; | 
      
        |  | (2)  all laws relating to procurement of professional | 
      
        |  | services under Chapter 2254, Government Code; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  all laws relating to procurement under this | 
      
        |  | chapter that apply to the local governmental entity that selected | 
      
        |  | the private entity. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to a contract entered into | 
      
        |  | on or after the effective date of this Act. A contract entered into | 
      
        |  | before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in | 
      
        |  | effect when the contract was entered into, and the former law is | 
      
        |  | continued in effect for that purpose. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  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, 2011. |