A county commissioners court may create and run community and economic development programs, and the comptroller must transfer money for approved county requests after deductions.
Sec. 381.004. COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. (a) In this section: (1) "Another entity" includes the federal government, the State of Texas, a municipality, school or other special district, finance corporation, institution of higher education, charitable or nonprofit organization, foundation, board, council, commission, or any other person. (2) "Minority" includes blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans, American Indians, and Alaska natives. (3) "Minority business" means a business concern, more than 50 percent of which is owned and controlled in management and daily operations by members of one or more minorities. (4) "Women-owned business" means a business concern, more than 50 percent of which is owned and controlled in management and daily operations by one or more women. (b) To stimulate business and commercial activity in a county, the commissioners court of the county may develop and administer a program: (1) for state or local economic development; (2) for small or disadvantaged business development; (3) to stimulate, encourage, and develop business location and commercial activity in the county; (4) to promote or advertise the county and its vicinity or conduct a solicitation program to attract conventions, visitors, and businesses; (5) to improve the extent to which women and minority businesses are awarded county contracts; (6) to support comprehensive literacy programs for the benefit of county residents; or (7) for the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and application of the arts. (c) The commissioners court may: (1) contract with another entity for the administration of the program; (2) authorize the program to be administered on the basis of county commissioner precincts; (3) use county employees or funds for the program; and (4) accept contributions, gifts, or other resources to develop and administer the program. (d) A program established under this section may be designed to reasonably increase participation by minority and women-owned businesses in public contract awards by the county by establishing a contract percentage goal for those businesses. (e) The legislature may appropriate unclaimed money the comptroller receives under Chapter 74, Property Code, for a county to use in carrying out a program established under this section. To receive money for that purpose for any fiscal year, the county must request the money for that fiscal year. The amount a county may receive under this subsection for a fiscal year may not exceed an amount equal to the value of the capital credits the comptroller receives from an electric cooperative corporation on behalf of the corporation's members in the county requesting the money less an amount sufficient to pay anticipated expenses and claims. The comptroller shall transfer money in response to a request after deducting the amount the comptroller determines to be sufficient to pay anticipated expenses and claims. (f) The commissioners court of a county may support a children's advocacy center that provides services to abused children. (g) The commissioners court may develop and administer a program authorized by Subsection (b) for entering into a tax abatement agreement with an owner or lessee of a property interest subject to ad valorem taxation. The execution, duration, and other terms of the agreement are governed, to the extent practicable, by the provisions of Sections 312.204, 312.205, and 312.211, Tax Code, as if the commissioners court were a governing body of a municipality. (h) The commissioners court may develop and administer a program authorized by Subsection (b) for making loans and grants of public money and providing personnel and services of the county. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1060, Sec. 3, eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1037, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 254, Sec. 1, eff. May 22, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1154, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1275, Sec. 2(109), eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1236 (S.B. 1296), Sec. 12.003, eff. September 1, 2015.