BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 837

84R5086 SCL-F

By: Watson

 

Intergovernmental Relations

 

3/16/2015

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Texas cities are competing nationally with similarly sized cities that often have larger budgets enabling them to secure conventions while Texas cities lose out. 

 

H.B. 1400, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, allowed for the creation of tourism public improvement districts (PID) in cities meeting certain population criteria. The Dallas PID has been in existence for two years and experienced no opposition at public hearings regarding the creation of the PID nor at annual budget approval meetings. During this time, Dallas increased the closure rate on citywide convention business from 23 percent to 41 percent.

 

S.B. 837 amends the existing population bracket to include Arlington, Austin, and San Antonio.

 

As proposed, S.B. 837 amends current law relating to a common characteristic or use project in a public improvement district in certain municipalities.

 

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 372.0035(a), Local Government Code, as follows:

 

(a)  Provides that this section applies only to:

 

(1)  a municipality that:

 

(A)  has a population of more than 750,000 and less than two million, rather than more than one million and a council-manager form of government and that is located wholly or partly in a county with a population of more than two million; creates paragraph from existing text; or

 

(B)  has a population of more than 325,000 and less than 625,000; and

 

(2)  a public improvement district established under this subchapter and solely composed of territory in which the only businesses are:

 

(A)  hotels with 100 or more rooms ordinarily used for sleeping, if the district is established by a municipality described by Subdivision (1)(A); creates paragraph from existing text; or

 

(B)  hotels with 75 or more rooms ordinarily used for sleeping, if the district is established by a municipality described by Subdivision (1)(B).

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.