BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1352

By: Pickett

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the options available to Texas cities to provide assistance for economic development in the form of land are time consuming and burdensome and that these limitations provide disincentives to companies seeking to relocate. H.B. 1352 seeks to address this issue by allowing cities to transfer real property to certain entities for use in a manner that promotes a public purpose relating to economic development.

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. 1352 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a municipality that has entered into an agreement with an entity under a municipal planning and economic development program to transfer to the entity real property or an interest in real property for consideration in the form of an agreement between the parties that requires the entity to use the property in a manner that primarily promotes a public purpose of the municipality relating to economic development. The bill requires the agreement to include provisions under which the municipality is granted sufficient control to ensure that the public purpose is accomplished and the municipality receives the return benefit. The bill requires the municipality, before making the transfer, to provide notice to the general public published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is located or, if there is no such newspaper, in a newspaper of general circulation in an adjoining county. The bill requires the notice to include a description of the real property including its location and to be published on two separate days within 10 days before the date the property or an interest in the property is transferred.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.