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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to economic development. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 552.131(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) This [After an agreement is made with the business
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prospect, this] section does not except from the requirements of |
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Section 552.021 information about a financial or other incentive |
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being offered to a [the] business prospect: |
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(1) by a [the] governmental body; or |
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(2) by another person, if the financial or other |
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incentive may directly or indirectly result in the expenditure of |
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public funds by a governmental body or a reduction in revenue |
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received by a governmental body from any source. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 312, Tax Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 312.2035 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 312.2035. APPLICATION FOR TAX ABATEMENT. (a) The |
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owner of taxable real property located in a municipality may apply |
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to the governing body of the municipality for a tax abatement. |
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(b) An owner of property described by Subsection (a) may |
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submit an application under that subsection before the date the |
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property is located in a reinvestment zone if the property is |
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otherwise eligible to be considered for a tax abatement under this |
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subchapter. |
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(c) The governing body of a municipality that receives an |
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application under this section may approve or refuse to approve the |
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application. If the governing body elects to approve the |
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application, the body must do so by an affirmative vote of a |
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majority of the members of the body at a regularly scheduled meeting |
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of the body. The governing body may approve the application before |
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the property is located in a reinvestment zone. |
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(d) The governing body of a municipality may not enter into |
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a tax abatement agreement under this subchapter unless the body has |
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approved an application for the tax abatement under this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 312.207(a), Tax Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) To be effective, an agreement made under this subchapter |
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must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the |
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members of the governing body of the municipality or other taxing |
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unit at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing body. The |
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governing body of the municipality may not hold the meeting earlier |
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than the 90th day after the date the governing body approves the |
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application for the tax abatement that is the subject of the |
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agreement under Section 312.2035. |
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SECTION 4. The following provisions are repealed: |
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(1) Sections 551.087 and 552.131(b), Government Code; |
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and |
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(2) Section 313.025(f-1), Tax Code. |
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SECTION 5. Section 552.131, Government Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to a request for public information that is |
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received by a governmental body or an officer for public |
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information on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 6. Section 312.2035(d), Tax Code, as added by this |
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Act, and Section 312.207(a), Tax Code, as amended by this Act, apply |
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only to a tax abatement agreement entered into on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A tax abatement agreement entered into |
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before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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effect when the agreement was entered into, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |