BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 479

By: Hughes

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The TexAmericas Center has been charged by the state to redevelop over 12,000 acres of former military property: almost 9,000 acres from the closed Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant and over 3,500 acres from the realigned Red River Army Depot. There are concerns that certain actions taken by the center could be challenged due to the center being established under certain Special District Local Laws Code and not Local Government Code provisions relating to defense base development authorities. There are calls to grant the center the necessary authority to carry out its duties. S.B. 479 seeks to provide the TexAmericas Center with this authority by authorizing the center to exercise the power to provide services and operate facilities inside or outside the boundaries of the center and the state to promote, enhance, develop, or assist a person in the creation of a new business, industry, or commercial activity in the center's boundaries. The bill also authorizes the center to exercise the powers given to a defense base development authority.

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

S.B. 479 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to explicitly authorize the TexAmericas Center to exercise the power to, for a fee, provide services or operate facilities inside or outside the boundaries of the center and the state to promote, enhance, develop, or assist a person in the creation of a new business, industry, or commercial activity in the center's boundaries. The bill authorizes the center to exercise the powers given to a defense base development authority and establishes that, in the event of a conflict, the center's governing provisions prevail over provisions governing such authorities. The bill authorizes the center to issue, sell, and deliver obligations and execute credit agreements as provided by provisions relating to obligations for certain public improvements and authorizes the center to delegate its authority in connection with the issuance of bonds in the same manner as an issuer under such provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.