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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an electronic information and |
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application system for state and local incentives for economic |
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development purposes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 10, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 2301 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 2301. ELECTRONIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES |
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INFORMATION AND APPLICATION SYSTEM |
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Sec. 2301.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Department," "electronic government project," |
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"local government," and "state electronic Internet portal" have the |
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meanings assigned by Section 2054.003. |
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(2) "Monetary incentive" means a grant, loan, or other |
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form of monetary incentive paid from state or local government |
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revenues that a business entity may receive in exchange for or as a |
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result of conducting an activity with an economic development |
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purpose. |
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(3) "State agency" means a department, commission, |
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board, office, council, authority, or other state agency in the |
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executive branch of state government. |
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(4) "Tax incentive" means any exemption, deduction, |
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credit, exclusion, waiver, rebate, discount, deferral, or other |
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abatement or reduction of state or local government tax liability |
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of a business entity that the business entity may receive in |
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exchange for or as a result of conducting an activity with an |
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economic development purpose. |
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Sec. 2301.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT. The department |
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shall establish an electronic government project to develop an |
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Internet website accessible through the state electronic Internet |
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portal that: |
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(1) provides a single location that a business entity |
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considering relocating to or expanding in this state may use to |
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receive information relating to state and local government monetary |
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and tax incentives for which the entity may be qualified; |
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(2) includes an interactive tool that allows a |
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business entity to: |
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(A) determine whether the entity may be eligible |
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for any state or local government monetary or tax incentive in this |
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state; and |
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(B) receive an estimate of the state and local |
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government monetary and tax incentives for which the entity may be |
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eligible; |
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(3) allows, when feasible, the business entity to fill |
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out one application for all state and local government monetary and |
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tax incentives for which the entity may be eligible; and |
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(4) allows, when feasible, for the application to be |
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submitted to each state agency or local government that offers the |
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monetary or tax incentive for which the business entity may be |
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eligible. |
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Sec. 2301.003. ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING PROJECT; |
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COORDINATION. In establishing and operating the electronic |
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government project under this chapter, the department, in |
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coordination with the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office |
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and the comptroller, and with the assistance of officials of local |
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governments, shall direct, coordinate, and assist state agencies |
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and local governments in establishing and using: |
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(1) a common electronic application and reporting |
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system, including: |
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(A) a standard format for announcing monetary and |
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tax incentive opportunities; |
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(B) standard data elements for use in creating |
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monetary and tax incentive opportunity announcement summaries, |
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including existing monetary and tax incentives and search |
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functions; and |
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(C) a common application form for a person to use |
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in applying for a monetary or tax incentive from multiple state |
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agencies and local governments; and |
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(2) a process for: |
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(A) improving interagency and intergovernmental |
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coordination of information collection and sharing of data relating |
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to monetary and tax incentives; and |
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(B) improving the timeliness, completeness, and |
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quality of applications received by a state agency or local |
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government for monetary and tax incentives. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |