H.B. No. 2994
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain agreements made with electric power generation
  facilities under the Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act
  and to similar agreements and compliance reports under the Texas
  Economic Development Act.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 312, Tax Code, is amended
  by adding Section 312.403 to read as follows:
         Sec. 312.403.  TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT FOR NUCLEAR ELECTRIC
  POWER GENERATION FACILITY IN COUNTY REINVESTMENT ZONE. (a) In this
  section, "nuclear electric power generation" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 313.024(e).
         (b)  An agreement made under this subchapter with the owner
  of property that is a nuclear electric power generation facility
  may include a provision that defers the effective date of the
  agreement to a later date agreed to by the taxing unit and the owner
  of the property, but not later than the seventh anniversary of the
  date the agreement is made.
         (c)  If the effective date of an agreement is deferred under
  Subsection (b), the agreement may have a term ending not later than
  10 years after the effective date of the agreement, notwithstanding
  Sections 312.204 and 312.208.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 313.021(1) and (4), Tax Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
               (1)  "Qualified investment" means:
                     (A)  tangible personal property that is first
  placed in service in this state during the applicable qualifying
  time period that begins on or after January 1, 2002, and is
  described as Section 1245 property by Section 1245(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986;
                     (B)  tangible personal property that is first
  placed in service in this state during the applicable qualifying
  time period that begins on or after January 1, 2002, without regard
  to whether the property is affixed to or incorporated into real
  property, and that is used in connection with the manufacturing,
  processing, or fabrication in a cleanroom environment of a
  semiconductor product, without regard to whether the property is
  actually located in the cleanroom environment, including:
                           (i)  integrated systems, fixtures, and
  piping;
                           (ii)  all property necessary or adapted to
  reduce contamination or to control airflow, temperature, humidity,
  chemical purity, or other environmental conditions or
  manufacturing tolerances; and
                           (iii)  production equipment and machinery,
  moveable cleanroom partitions, and cleanroom lighting; [or]
                     (C)  tangible personal property that is first
  placed in service in this state during the applicable qualifying
  time period that begins on or after January 1, 2002, without regard
  to whether the property is affixed to or incorporated into real
  property, and that is used in connection with the operation of a
  nuclear electric power generation facility, including:
                           (i)  property, including pressure vessels,
  pumps, turbines, generators, and condensers, used to produce
  nuclear electric power; and
                           (ii)  property and systems necessary to
  control radioactive contamination;
                     (D)  tangible personal property that is first
  placed in service in this state during the applicable qualifying
  time period that begins on or after January 1, 2002, without regard
  to whether the property is affixed to or incorporated into real
  property, and that is used in connection with operating an
  integrated gasification combined cycle electric generation
  facility, including:
                           (i)  property used to produce electric power
  by means of a combined combustion turbine and steam turbine
  application using synthetic gas or another product produced by the
  gasification of coal or another carbon-based feedstock; or
                           (ii)  property used in handling materials to
  be used as feedstock for gasification or used in the gasification
  process to produce synthetic gas or another carbon-based feedstock
  for use in the production of electric power in the manner described
  by Subparagraph (i); or
                     (E)  a building or a permanent, nonremovable
  component of a building that is built or constructed during the
  applicable qualifying time period that begins on or after January
  1, 2002, and that houses tangible personal property described by
  Paragraph (A), [or] (B), (C), or (D).
               (4)  "Qualifying time period" means:
                     (A)  the first two tax years that begin on or after
  the date a person's application for a limitation on appraised value
  under this subchapter is approved, except as provided by Paragraph
  (B); or
                     (B)  in connection with a nuclear electric power
  generation facility, the first seven tax years that begin on or
  after the third anniversary of the date the school district
  approves the property owner's application for a limitation on
  appraised value under this subchapter, unless a shorter time period
  is agreed to by the governing body of the school district and the
  property owner.
         SECTION 3.  Section 313.024, Tax Code, is amended by adding
  Subsections (a-1) and (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (a-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), this subchapter and
  Subchapters C and D also apply to property used in the production of
  nuclear electric power that is owned by an entity to which on and
  after January 1, 2008, Chapter 171 of this code, as amended by
  Chapter 1, Acts of the 79th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 2006,
  will apply. This subsection expires January 1, 2008.
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), property used in
  connection with electric power generation by the use of integrated
  gasification combined cycle technology or nuclear electric power
  generation is eligible for a limitation on appraised value under
  this subchapter. This subsection expires January 1, 2008.
         (c)  For purposes of determining an applicant's eligibility
  for a limitation under this subchapter:
               (1)  the land on which a building or component of a
  building described by Section 313.021(1)(E) [313.021(1)(C)] is
  located is not considered a qualified investment;
               (2)  property that is leased under a capitalized lease
  may be considered a qualified investment;
               (3)  property that is leased under an operating lease
  may not be considered a qualified investment; and
               (4)  property that is owned by a person other than the
  applicant and that is pooled or proposed to be pooled with property
  owned by the applicant may not be included in determining the amount
  of the applicant's qualifying investment.
         SECTION 4.  Section 313.024(b), Tax Code, as effective
  January 1, 2008, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  To be eligible for a limitation on appraised value under
  this subchapter, the entity must use the property in connection
  with:
               (1)  manufacturing;
               (2)  research and development;
               (3)  a clean coal project, as defined by Section 5.001,
  Water Code;
               (4)  a gasification project for a coal and biomass
  mixture; [or]
               (5)  renewable energy electric generation;
               (6)  electric power generation using integrated
  gasification combined cycle technology; or
               (7)  nuclear electric power generation.
         SECTION 5.  Section 313.024(e), Tax Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivisions (3) and (4) to read as follows:
               (3)  "Integrated gasification combined cycle
  technology" means technology used to produce electricity in a
  combined combustion turbine and steam turbine application using
  synthetic gas or another product produced from the gasification of
  coal or another carbon-based feedstock, including related
  activities such as materials-handling and gasification of coal or
  another carbon-based feedstock.
               (4)  "Nuclear electric power generation" means
  activities described in category 221113 of the 2002 North American
  Industry Classification System.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter B, Chapter 313, Tax Code, is amended
  by adding Section 313.032 to read as follows:
         Sec. 313.032.  REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENTS.  (a)  
  Before the beginning of each regular session of the legislature,
  the comptroller shall submit to the lieutenant governor, the
  speaker of the house of representatives, and each other member of
  the legislature a report assessing the progress of each agreement
  made under this chapter.  The report must be based on data certified
  to the comptroller by each recipient of a limitation on appraised
  value under this subchapter and state for each agreement:
               (1)  the number of qualifying jobs each recipient of a
  limitation on appraised value committed to create;
               (2)  the number of qualifying jobs each recipient
  created;
               (3)  the median wage of the new jobs each recipient
  created;
               (4)  the amount of the qualified investment each
  recipient committed to spend or allocate for each project;
               (5)  the amount of the qualified investment each
  recipient spent or allocated for each project;
               (6)  the market value of the qualified property of each
  recipient as determined by the applicable chief appraiser;
               (7)  the limitation on appraised value for the
  qualified property of each recipient;
               (8)  the dollar amount of the taxes that would have been
  imposed on the qualified property if the property had not received a
  limitation on appraised value;
               (9)  the dollar amount of the taxes imposed on the
  qualified property;
               (10)  the number of new jobs created by each recipient
  in each sector of the North American Industry Classification
  System; and
               (11)  of the number of new jobs each recipient created,
  the number of jobs created that provide health benefits for
  employees.
         (b)  The report may not include information that is
  confidential by law.
         (c)  The comptroller may require a recipient to submit, on a
  form the comptroller provides, information required to complete the
  report.
         SECTION 7.  (a) The governmental acts and proceedings of the
  governing body of a taxing unit relating to the consideration or
  approval of an ad valorem tax abatement agreement under Chapter
  312, Tax Code, that occurred before the effective date of this Act,
  or of the governing body of a school district relating to the
  consideration or approval of a limitation on appraised value for ad
  valorem tax purposes under Chapter 313, Tax Code, that occurred
  before the effective date of this Act, are validated as of the dates
  they occurred.
         (b)  The governmental acts and proceedings of the taxing unit
  or the governing body of the taxing unit that occurred after the
  consideration or approval of an ad valorem tax abatement agreement
  under Chapter 312, Tax Code, or of the school district or the
  governing body of the school district that occurred after the
  consideration or approval of a limitation on appraised value for ad
  valorem tax purposes under Chapter 313, Tax Code, may not be held
  invalid on the ground that the consideration or approval of the tax
  abatement agreement or limitation on appraised value, in the
  absence of this section, was invalid.
         SECTION 8.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection
  (b) of this section, 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, 2007, except as provided
  by Subsection (b).
         (b)  Section 4 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2008.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2994 was passed by the House on April
  25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 112, Nays 17, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 2994 on May 25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 139, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2994 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 23, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays
  3.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor