AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law requires that a defense base development authority undergo a process of establishing reinvestment zones within its boundaries. H.B. 3063 amends Chapter 379B (Defense Base Development Authorities), Local Government Code, to add the land within the boundaries of a defense base development authority to the list of areas that automatically qualify as an enterprise zone.
Until recently, a provision in Section 2303.101 (Qualification for Enterprise Zone Designation), Government Code, automatically qualified a defense base as an enterprise zone by reference to federal laws designating federal empowerment zones and federal enterprise communities. The federal law has expired. H.B. 3063 updates this reference to federal law with a direct reference to authorities created under state law to redevelop these closed bases.
H.B. 3063 allows defense base development authorities to be an effective tool for economic development by adding the land within the authority’s boundaries to the list of areas that automatically qualify as an enterprise zone for purposes of the enterprise zone program.
H.B. 3063 amends current law relating to the qualification of an area inside a defense base development authority as an enterprise zone.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 379B.009, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (c) to provide that an area inside the boundaries of a defense base development authority established under this chapter automatically qualifies as an enterprise zone for purposes of Chapter 2303 (Enterprise Zones), Government Code.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.