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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a grant program to provide money for |
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security at certain major events; authorizing fees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1507 (S.B. 456), Acts of the 76th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 1999 (Article 5190.14, Vernon's |
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Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section 5D to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 5D. MAJOR EVENTS SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section, "event" means an event or a related series of events held |
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in this state. The term includes any activity related to or |
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associated with the event. |
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(b) In administering this section, the department may: |
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(1) enter into and enforce contracts with a county or a |
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municipality and execute and deliver other instruments necessary to |
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make and administer grants awarded under this section; |
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(2) impose and collect reasonable fees and charges in |
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connection with grants made under this section and provide |
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reasonable penalties for delinquent payment of fees or charges; and |
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(3) adopt rules necessary to implement the program. |
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(c) The department may only use money expressly |
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appropriated by the legislature to the department for the grant |
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program established by this section and may only use that money to |
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make grants authorized by this section for a purpose specified in |
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Subsection (e)(3) of this section. |
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(d) A county or municipality that contains a site at which |
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an eligible event is or may be hosted may apply for and receive a |
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grant under this section. A grant recipient may use the money |
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provided through a grant under this section only for providing |
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security at the event for which the grant is awarded. |
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(e) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an |
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event for which a county or municipality is applying must: |
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(1) be held annually; |
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(2) have had a total economic impact on the local |
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economy where the event was previously held of more than $300 |
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million in the immediately preceding year; and |
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(3) serve a state purpose or a public purpose of the |
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development and diversification of the economy of this state, the |
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elimination of unemployment or underemployment in this state, or |
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the development or expansion of commerce in this state. |
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(f) The department by rule shall establish an application |
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process, award process, and eligibility criteria for receiving a |
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grant under this section. The department shall also establish |
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criteria for prioritizing applicants for grants under this section |
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and reporting requirements for grants awarded under this section. |
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(g) The department shall compile an annual report |
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identifying the recipient of each grant awarded under this section |
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each state fiscal year, the amount awarded for each grant, and the |
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expenses paid through the grant. Each county or municipality that |
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receives a grant under this section must submit to the department |
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any information the department requires to compile the report |
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required under this subsection. |
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(h) A county or municipality that does not spend grant money |
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received under this section for security purposes as required by |
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this section must repay the amount of the grant that was in |
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noncompliance. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Economic |
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Development and Tourism Division of the governor's office shall |
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adopt the rules and eligibility standards required by Section 5D, |
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Chapter 1507 (S.B. 456), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 1999 (Article 5190.14, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act does not make an appropriation. A |
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provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program, |
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creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental |
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entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the |
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legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the |
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provision. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |