AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
To foster economic activity and improve the aesthetics of the main pedestrian Laredo border crossing, the City of Laredo proposes to assume ownership and responsibility for four blocks of land, currently owned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), adjacent to the border crossing International Bridge #2. The city plans to develop and maintain the area as a rest stop, retail area, and food court. This development would promote the state's interests by increasing tourism, providing recreation, and improving civic landscape. The bill also provides for the property to revert back to the state upon the request of TxDOT or if the city fails to use the property for the authorized purposes.
H.B. 2468 instructs TxDOT to transfer ownership of the parcel to the City of Laredo, while reserving the land's mineral rights.
H.B. 2468 amends current law relating to the transfer of certain state real property from the Texas Department of Transportation to the City of Laredo.
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. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), subject to Section 2 of this Act, to transfer by appropriate instrument of transfer to the City of Laredo the real property described by Section 3 of this Act.
(b) Authorizes a survey of the parcel to be conducted by or under the direction of the General Land Office before the transfer of a parcel of real property described by Section 3 of this Act is made.
(c) Requires the City of Laredo to use the real property described by Section 3 of this Act to primarily promote a public purpose of the state by enhancing tourism and providing recreation and civic improvement.
SECTION 2. (a) Provides that ownership of the property automatically reverts to the State of Texas:
(1) on request of TxDOT; or
(2) if the City of Laredo:
(A) fails to promote a public purpose of the state as described by Section 1(c) of this Act; or
(B) sells all or any part of the property.
(b) Provides that the state reserves:
(1) the state's interest in all oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the real property described by Section 3 of this Act;
(2) the state's right to remove from the real property described by Section 3 of this Act any oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the real property; and
(3) the state's right to grant a lease held by the state before a conveyance of real property described by Section 3 of this Act relating to the removal of oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the real property.
(c) Provides that Sections 31.1571 (Governor's Report) and 31.158 (Real Estate Transactions Authorized by Legislature), Natural Resources Code, do not apply to the transfer of real property authorized by this Act.
SECTION 3. Provides that the real property held by TxDOT, which are remainder properties from the expansion and extension of Interstate Highway 35, which said four remnant tracts are within the corporate limits of the City of Laredo and bounded as set forth.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.