BILL ANALYSIS
|
Senate Research Center |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
County assistance districts allow counties to levy a voter-approved sales and use tax to provide adequate public infrastructure to support population growth in a cost-effective and efficient manner. With recent limitations in federal and state funds, interested parties report that counties are examining any and all available tools to help finance necessary infrastructure. Such parties assert that county assistance districts could be used to pay for regional mobility improvements, law enforcement, fire-fighting services, and other public facilities like parks, libraries, and museums; however, until recently, county assistance districts had not been given much consideration due to ambiguities in the law.
Recently enacted legislation sought to clarify the law governing the creation and powers of county assistance districts, but ambiguity about whether a county could create more than one county assistance district per commissioners precinct remained. H.B. 3795 seeks to give effect to the legislation's intent and grant counties the flexibility to effectively use county assistance districts to provide needed infrastructure and stimulate economic development in their respective jurisdictions.
H.B. 3795 amends current law relating to the creation of a county assistance district.
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 387.003(a), Local Government Code, as follows:
(a) Authorizes more than one county assistance district to be created in a county. Deletes existing text prohibiting more than one county assistance district from being created in a commissioners precinct.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.