85R5393 CLG-F

By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1387

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain requirements for designation as a qualified business under the enterprise zone program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2303.401, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2303.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "New permanent job" means a new employment position, regardless of title, that:

(A) is created by a qualified business as described by Section 2303.402 at the qualified business site not earlier than the 90th day before the date the business's project or activity is designated as an enterprise project under this chapter;

(B) is defined and certified by the qualified business as a full-time position and provides employment benefits, including health care benefits, [will provide or has provided for the duration of the project's designation period at least 1,820 hours of employment a year] to a qualified employee; and

(C) will exist or has existed at the qualified business site for at least [the longer of]:

(i) the duration of the project's designation period; or

(ii) three years after the date on which a state benefit is received as authorized by this chapter.

(2) "Retained job" means an employment position, regardless of title, [a job] that:

(A) existed with a qualified business on the 91st day before the date the business's project or activity is designated as an enterprise project;

(B) is defined and certified by the qualified business as a full-time position and provides employment benefits, including health care benefits, [has provided and will continue to provide employment] to a qualified employee [of at least 1,820 hours annually]; and

(C) will be or has been an employment position for at least [the longer of]:

(i) the duration of the project's designation period; or

(ii) three years after the expiration date of the claim period for receipt of a state benefit authorized by this chapter.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an application for an enterprise project designation under the enterprise zone program established under Chapter 2303, Government Code, as amended by this Act, that is submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An application for an enterprise project designation under the enterprise zone program that is submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the application is submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.