S.B. No. 503
AN ACT
relating to financial assistance to local governmental entities
affected by the realignment of defense jobs or facilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 436.1531(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The office may provide a loan of financial assistance to
a defense community for an economic development project that
minimizes the negative effects of a defense base reduction on the
defense community as a result of a United States Department of
Defense base realignment process that occurs during 1995 [2005] or
later. The loan shall be made from the Texas military value
revolving loan account established under Section 436.156.
SECTION 2. Section 436.1532(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The office may provide a loan of financial assistance to
a defense community for an infrastructure project to accommodate
new or expanded military missions assigned to a military base or
defense facility located in, near, or adjacent to the defense
community as a result of a United States Department of Defense base
realignment process that occurs during 1995 [2005] or later. The
loan shall be made from the Texas military value revolving loan
account established under Section 436.156.
SECTION 3. Sections 436.202(a) and (b), Government Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(a) From money appropriated for this purpose, the
commission may make a grant to an eligible local governmental
entity to:
(1) enable the entity to match money or meet an
investment requirement necessary to receive federal assistance
provided to the local governmental entity for responding to or
recovering from an event described by Section 436.201(b);
(2) match the entity's contribution for a purpose
described by Section 436.203 at a closed or realigned defense
facility; [or]
(3) construct infrastructure and other projects
necessary to accommodate a new or expanded military mission at a
military base or to reduce the impact of an action of the United
States Department of Defense that will negatively impact a defense
facility located in or near the entity; or
(4) construct infrastructure and other projects
necessary to prevent the reduction or closing of a defense
facility.
(b) The commission may not make a grant for an amount less
than $50,000 or an amount more than the lesser of:
(1) 50 percent of the amount of matching money or
investment that the local governmental entity is required to
provide, subject to Subsection (c);
(2) 50 percent of the local governmental entity's
investment for purposes described by Section 436.203 if federal
assistance is unavailable; or
(3) $5 [$2] million.
SECTION 4. Section 436.203(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) An eligible local governmental entity described by
Section 436.201(a)(3), [or] (4), or (5) may use the proceeds of the
grant to purchase or lease equipment to train defense workers whose
jobs have been threatened or lost because of an event described by
Section 436.201(b) or to train workers to support military
installations or defense facilities.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 503 passed the Senate on
April 20, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 503 passed the House on
May 11, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 0,
one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor