BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2468

By: Raymond

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties recognize a need to foster economic activity and improve the aesthetics of the Laredo border crossing. These parties emphasize that the City of Laredo has proposed to do this by assuming ownership of and responsibility for certain land currently owned by the Texas Department of Transportation that is adjacent to the border crossing and by developing and maintaining the land as a rest stop, retail area, and food court. H.B. 2468 seeks to increase tourism and provide recreation and civic improvement by providing for the transfer of that real property.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2468 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to transfer by appropriate instrument of transfer to the City of Laredo specified real property held by TxDOT. The bill authorizes a survey of a parcel of the real property to be conducted by or under the direction of the General Land Office (GLO) before the transfer is made and requires the City of Laredo to use the transferred property to primarily promote a public purpose of the state by enhancing tourism and providing recreation and civic improvement. The bill establishes that ownership of the property automatically reverts to the state on TxDOT's request or if the City of Laredo fails to promote such a public purpose or sells all or any part of the property. The bill establishes that the state reserves the state's interest in all oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the property; the state's right to remove from the property any oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the property; and the state's right to grant a lease held by the state before a conveyance of the real property relating to the removal of oil, gas, and other minerals in and under the property. The bill exempts the transfer of the property from Natural Resources Code provisions relating to real estate transactions authorized by the legislature and a GLO report made to the governor recommending certain real estate transactions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.