Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HB2994 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Miles (Senate Sponsor - Estes) H.B. No. 2994
2	2	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2011;
3	3	May 12, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
4	4	Agriculture and Rural Affairs; May 20, 2011, reported favorably by
5	5	the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 20, 2011, sent to printer.)
6	6
7	7
8	8	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
9	9	AN ACT
10	10	relating to the creation, operation, and funding of the urban farm
11	11	microenterprise support program.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Title 3, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
14	14	Chapter 44A to read as follows:
15	15	CHAPTER 44A. URBAN FARM MICROENTERPRISE SUPPORT PROGRAM
16	16	Sec. 44A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
17	17	(1) "Board" means the board of directors of the Texas
18	18	Agricultural Finance Authority.
19	19	(2) "Microenterprise" means a small business in which
20	20	the owner operates the enterprise.
21	21	(3) "Urban area" means an area inside the boundaries
22	22	of a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more.
23	23	Sec. 44A.002. CREATION OF URBAN FARM MICROENTERPRISE
24	24	SUPPORT PROGRAM. (a) The board shall create an urban farm
25	25	microenterprise support program to provide financial assistance to
26	26	microenterprises in urban areas that are primarily engaged in:
27	27	(1) research into processes and technology related to
28	28	agricultural production in an urban setting;
29	29	(2) the production or development of tools or
30	30	processes for agriculture in a manner suited for an urban setting;
31	31	or
32	32	(3) agricultural activities in a manner suited for an
33	33	urban setting.
34	34	(b) No state money may be used for purposes of the program.
35	35	Sec. 44A.003. URBAN FARM MICROENTERPRISE SUPPORT PROGRAM
36	36	LOANS. (a) On the receipt of gifts and grants of money under
37	37	Section 44A.004, the board shall establish and implement a loan
38	38	program supporting established and proposed urban farm
39	39	microenterprises in urban areas by providing loans to expand,
40	40	modernize, or otherwise improve the established microenterprises
41	41	and to begin operation of proposed microenterprises.
42	42	(b) An applicant applying on behalf of a proposed
43	43	microenterprise may receive a loan of up to $25,000 to begin
44	44	operation of the microenterprise.
45	45	(c) An applicant applying on behalf of an established
46	46	microenterprise may receive a loan of up to $50,000 to expand,
47	47	modernize, or otherwise improve an established microenterprise.
48	48	(d) The board may reserve a portion of the total fund for use
49	49	in cooperative loan programs established with the participation of
50	50	other public or private lenders.
51	51	(e) The board by rule may provide for the administration by
52	52	a private or public entity of the loans awarded under the loan
53	53	program.
54	54	Sec. 44A.004. MONEY FOR LOANS. The board may accept gifts
55	55	and grants of money from the federal government, local governments,
56	56	or private corporations or other persons for use in making loans
57	57	under the urban farm microenterprise support program.
58	58	Sec. 44A.005. URBAN FARM MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FUND.
59	59	The urban farm microenterprise development fund is a fund in the
60	60	comptroller's office. The following shall be deposited to the
61	61	credit of the fund:
62	62	(1) amounts received by the state for loans made under
63	63	the urban farm microenterprise support program;
64	64	(2) money received in repayment of loans made under
65	65	the program; and
66	66	(3) other money received by the board for the program
67	67	and required by the board to be deposited in the fund.
68	68	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
69	69	* * * * *