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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 incentives for economic development |
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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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and "state electronic Internet portal" have the meanings assigned |
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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 revenues, including a |
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state trust fund, that a business entity or other person may receive |
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in exchange for or as a result of conducting an activity with an |
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economic development 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 tax liability of a business entity |
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or other person that the person 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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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 monetary and tax incentives |
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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 determine whether the entity may be eligible for |
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any state monetary or tax incentive in this state; |
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(3) allows, when feasible, the business entity to fill |
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out one application for all: |
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(A) state monetary incentives for which the |
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entity may be eligible; and |
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(B) state tax incentives for which the entity may |
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be eligible, other than a tax incentive for which the entity, or a |
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transaction involving the entity, qualifies for by operation of |
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law; and |
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(4) allows, when feasible, for the application to be |
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submitted to each state agency that offers the monetary or tax |
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incentive described by Subdivision (3). |
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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 |
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Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the comptroller, shall |
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direct, coordinate, and assist state agencies in establishing and |
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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, including monetary and tax incentives |
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from: |
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(i) the Texas Enterprise Fund under Section |
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481.078; |
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(ii) the moving image industry incentive |
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program under Subchapter B, Chapter 485; and |
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(iii) the skills development fund program |
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under Chapter 303, Labor Code; |
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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 the following from multiple state agencies: |
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(i) all state monetary incentives for which |
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the entity may be eligible; and |
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(ii) all state tax incentives for which the |
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entity may be eligible, other than a tax incentive for which the |
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entity, or a transaction involving the entity, qualifies for by |
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operation of law; and |
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(2) a process for: |
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(A) improving interagency coordination of |
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information collection and sharing of data relating to monetary and |
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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 for monetary and |
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tax incentives described by Subdivision (1). |
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SECTION 2. Section 303.005(a), Labor Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) An employer may not apply both to a public community or |
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technical college for customized training and assessment from the |
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college through a grant issued to the college under the skills |
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development fund program established under this chapter and for a |
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grant under the Texas Enterprise Fund program established under |
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Subchapter E, Chapter 481, Government Code, unless the employer and |
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the college file an application for concurrent participation in |
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both programs using a common electronic application under Section |
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2301.003, Government Code [that complies with any rules adopted by
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the Texas Workforce Commission on concurrent participation]. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |