Hall Bill Denies State Incentives To Entities That Encourage Abortion

The text as introduced · 782 words

89R4278 MLH-D

By: Hall
S.B. No. 721

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting the disbursement of certain economic and

tax incentives to entities that assist, refer, or otherwise

encourage a woman to obtain an abortion.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 480.0051, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 480.0051. EVENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING. An event is

eligible for funding under this chapter only if:

(1) a site selection organization, after considering

through a highly competitive selection process one or more sites

not in this state, selects a site in this state for the event to be

held:

(A) one time; or

(B) if the event is scheduled under an event

contract or event support contract to be held each year for a period

of years, one time in each year;

(2) a site selection organization selects a site in

this state as:

(A) the sole site for the event; or

(B) the sole site for the event in a region

composed of this state and one or more adjoining states; [ and ]

(3) the event is held not more than one time in any

year in this state or an adjoining state ; and

(4) the event is not organized by a local organizing

committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county that

assists, refers, or otherwise encourages a woman to obtain an

abortion .

SECTION 2. Section 481.078(e-1), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(e-1) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section,

the entity must:

(1) be in good standing under the laws of the state in

which the entity was formed or organized, as evidenced by a

certificate issued by the secretary of state or the state official

having custody of the records pertaining to entities or other

organizations formed under the laws of that state; [ and ]

(2) owe no delinquent taxes to a taxing unit of this

state ; and

(3) not assist, refer, or otherwise encourage a woman

to obtain an abortion .

SECTION 3. Section 489.212, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(c) Money in the project account of the small business fund

may not be used to provide financing to a small business that

assists, refers, or otherwise encourages a woman to obtain an

abortion.

SECTION 4. Section 2303.402, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (b) to read as follows:

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a

person is not a qualified business if the person assists, refers, or

otherwise encourages a woman to obtain an abortion.

SECTION 5. Section 303.003, Labor Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:

(c-1) Money from the skills development fund may not be

provided to an entity that assists, refers, or otherwise encourages

a woman to obtain an abortion.

SECTION 6. Chapter 301, Tax Code, is amended by adding

Section 301.005 to read as follows:

Sec. 301.005. INELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN BUSINESS ENTITIES

FOR TAX INCENTIVES. (a) In this section:

(1) "Business entity" means any entity recognized by

law through which business is conducted, including a sole

proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability

company, holding company, joint stock company, receivership, or

trust, that employs one or more employees.

(2) "Tax incentive" means an abatement, credit,

discount, exclusion, exemption, limitation on appraised value,

refund, special valuation, special accounting treatment, special

appraisal method or provision, special rate, or special method of

reporting authorized by state law or the state constitution that

relates to a tax to which this title applies.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a

business entity is ineligible to receive a tax incentive if the

entity assists, refers, or otherwise encourages a woman to obtain

an abortion.

SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a loan, grant, or designation made, a tax incentive received, or an

agreement entered into on or after the effective date of this Act.

A loan, grant, or designation made, a tax incentive received, or an

agreement entered into before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the loan, grant, or

designation was made, the incentive was received, or the agreement

was entered into, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 8. 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, 2025.