By: Hegar S.B. No. 580
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to community assistance and economic development program
  activities of the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 186, Acts of the 50th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 1947, is amended by adding Section 11 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 11.  (a)  In this section, "economic development
  program" includes a program designed to:
               (1)  encourage economic diversification;
               (2)  contribute to the health and development of a
  community to improve the attractiveness of the community to public
  and private enterprises; or
               (3)  improve the quality or quantity of services
  essential for the development of viable communities and economic
  growth, including services related to education, transportation,
  public safety, recreation, health care, training, community
  planning, or employment.
         (b)  The District may sponsor and participate in an economic
  development program intended to strengthen the economic base and
  further the economic development of this state.  A determination by
  the Board of Directors that an economic development program is
  intended and expected to accomplish the program's stated purposes
  is conclusive with respect to whether the program serves the
  purposes of this section.
         (c)  An economic development program must be within:
               (1)  the territorial boundaries of the District; or
               (2)  the District's water service area.
         (d)  An economic development program may be established only
  by formal action of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors
  shall:
               (1)  establish the goals of the program;
               (2)  impose requirements on persons participating in or
  receiving a benefit from the program; and
               (3)  provide restrictions, procedures, and budget
  limits the Board of Directors determines are necessary to ensure
  that the governmental purposes of this section and the program are
  achieved.
         (e)  An economic development program may involve the
  granting or lending of money, services, or property to a person
  engaged in an economic development activity.
         (f)  The District may:
               (1)  employ staff and spend its resources, other than
  money received from an ad valorem tax or a general appropriation, to
  further an economic development program; and
               (2)  apply for and receive money, grants, or other
  assistance from any source to implement an economic development
  program.
         (g)  The District and any public or private person may enter
  into an agreement with respect to an economic development program.
         (h)  If the District proposes to provide scholarships,
  grants, loans, or financial assistance to a public fire-fighting
  organization, the District shall adopt guidelines for determining:
               (1)  eligibility for the assistance;
               (2)  the amount of any loan, grant, or other assistance
  the District may provide; and
               (3)  the types of equipment, facilities, education, or
  training for which the assistance may be used.
         SECTION 2.   The legislature finds that the economic
  development programs authorized by Section 11, Chapter 186, Acts of
  the 50th Legislature, Regular Session, 1947, as added by this Act,
  are a specific public purpose and governmental function of the
  Lavaca-Navidad River Authority in accordance with:
               (1)  Section 52-a, Article III, Texas Constitution; and
               (2)  Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.