85R13078 CLG/LED-D
By: Button H.B. No. 3172
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an electronic information and
application system for state incentives for economic development
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 10, Government Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 2301 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 2301. ELECTRONIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES
INFORMATION AND APPLICATION SYSTEM
Sec. 2301.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Department," "electronic government project,"
and "state electronic Internet portal" have the meanings assigned
by Section 2054.003.
(2) "Monetary incentive" means a grant, loan, or other
form of monetary incentive paid from state revenues, including a
state trust fund, that a business entity or other person may receive
in exchange for or as a result of conducting an activity with an
economic development purpose.
(3) "State agency" means a department, commission,
board, office, council, authority, or other state agency in the
executive branch of state government.
(4) "Tax incentive" means any exemption, deduction,
credit, exclusion, waiver, rebate, discount, deferral, or other
abatement or reduction of state tax liability of a business entity
or other person that the person may receive in exchange for or as a
result of conducting an activity with an economic development
purpose.
Sec. 2301.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT. The department
shall establish an electronic government project to develop an
Internet website accessible through the state electronic Internet
portal that:
(1) provides a single location that a business entity
considering relocating to or expanding in this state may use to
receive information relating to state monetary and tax incentives
for which the entity may be qualified;
(2) includes an interactive tool that allows a
business entity to determine whether the entity may be eligible for
any state monetary or tax incentive in this state;
(3) allows, when feasible, the business entity to fill
out one application for all:
(A) state monetary incentives for which the
entity may be eligible; and
(B) state tax incentives for which the entity may
be eligible, other than a tax incentive for which the entity, or a
transaction involving the entity, qualifies for by operation of
law; and
(4) allows, when feasible, for the application to be
submitted to each state agency that offers the monetary or tax
incentive described by Subdivision (3).
Sec. 2301.003. ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING PROJECT;
COORDINATION. In establishing and operating the electronic
government project under this chapter, the department, in
coordination with the Texas Economic Development and Tourism
Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the comptroller, shall
direct, coordinate, and assist state agencies in establishing and
using:
(1) a common electronic application and reporting
system, including:
(A) a standard format for announcing monetary and
tax incentive opportunities, including monetary and tax incentives
from:
(i) the Texas Enterprise Fund under Section
481.078;
(ii) the moving image industry incentive
program under Subchapter B, Chapter 485; and
(iii) the skills development fund program
under Chapter 303, Labor Code;
(B) standard data elements for use in creating
monetary and tax incentive opportunity announcement summaries,
including existing monetary and tax incentives and search
functions; and
(C) a common application form for a person to use
in applying for the following from multiple state agencies:
(i) all state monetary incentives for which
the entity may be eligible; and
(ii) all state tax incentives for which the
entity may be eligible, other than a tax incentive for which the
entity, or a transaction involving the entity, qualifies for by
operation of law; and
(2) a process for:
(A) improving interagency coordination of
information collection and sharing of data relating to monetary and
tax incentives; and
(B) improving the timeliness, completeness, and
quality of applications received by a state agency for monetary and
tax incentives described by Subdivision (1).
SECTION 2. Section 303.005(a), Labor Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) An employer may not apply both to a public community or
technical college for customized training and assessment from the
college through a grant issued to the college under the skills
development fund program established under this chapter and for a
grant under the Texas Enterprise Fund program established under
Subchapter E, Chapter 481, Government Code, unless the employer and
the college file an application for concurrent participation in
both programs using a common electronic application under Section
2301.003, Government Code [that complies with any rules adopted by
the Texas Workforce Commission on concurrent participation].
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.