By: Collier, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Alvarado) H.B. No. 1215

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2019; May 10, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; May 19, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 19, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1215 By: Alvarado

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the allocation of low income housing tax credits.

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

SECTION 1. Section 2306.67022, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2306.67022. QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN; MANUAL. (a) At least biennially, the board shall adopt a qualified allocation plan and a corresponding manual to provide information regarding the administration of and eligibility for the low income housing tax credit program. The board may adopt the plan and manual annually, as considered appropriate by the board.

(b) The department may require as part of the threshold criteria under a qualified allocation plan that a proposed development satisfy certain criteria relating to educational quality, as specified by the department in that plan.

(c) The department may not adopt a qualified allocation plan that uses a scoring system that awards points to an application based on criteria relating to the educational quality applicable to a proposed development site.

(d) This subsection and Subsections (b) and (c) expire September 1, 2021.

SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall conduct a study of the effects that the implementation of Sections 2306.67022(b) and (c), Government Code, as added by this Act, has on the allocation of low income housing tax credits in this state.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2021, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over affordable housing a report regarding the study required by Subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an application for low income housing tax credits that is submitted to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs during an application cycle that is based on the 2020 qualified allocation plan or a subsequent plan adopted by the governing board of the department under Section 2306.67022, Government Code, as amended by this Act. An application that is submitted during an application cycle that is based on an earlier qualified allocation plan is governed by the law in effect on the date the application cycle began, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

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