Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office

Final Results of Last Sunset Review

Continue

• Continue the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office (EDT) for 12 years and remove the Sunset date of EDT’s enabling statute.
• Continue the Office of State-Federal Relations (OSFR) for 12 years and remove the Sunset date of the office’s enabling statute.

Eliminating Troubled Lending Programs

• Eliminate the Product Development and Small Business Incubator (PDSBI) program.
• Remove the Original Capital Access Program (OCAP) from statute, and require EDT to adopt rules for its new access to capital programs.

Reporting Requirements and Communication

• Require EDT to develop a plan for administering and communicating about its lending programs. 
• Require the Annual Bank Report to include additional information on the status of each program to better inform the Legislature.
• Consolidate four of EDT’s reporting requirements and abolish one.
• Amend OSFR’s annual reporting requirement to remove outdated provisions and require OSFR to post each annual report on its website.
• OSFR should consider opportunities for improving the distribution process for its weekly update. (Management action — nonstatutory)

Governance and Advisory Committees

• Authorize EDT to create advisory committees in rule.
• Continue the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee and exempt it from automatic abolishment.
• Continue the Small Business Advisory Task Force and exempt it from automatic abolishment.
• Repeal outdated and unnecessary statutory provisions relating to OSFR’s federal funds management.

Enterprise Zone Program

• Expand the definition of “qualified employee” under the Enterprise Zone Program to include remote workers who are residents of Texas and live within 25 miles of the qualified business.
• Allow EDT to accept electronic signatures from a nominating body applying for a business to participate in the Enterprise Zone Program.

Travel and Tourism

• Require EDT and its MOU partners to produce the state’s strategic tourism plan biennially, and update statutory submission deadlines.
• EDT should consider adjusting its community tourism assessment procedures to improve their efficiency and expand their impact. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• EDT should consider increasing accessible research and educational opportunities for communities attempting to boost their tourism economies. (Management action — nonstatutory)
• EDT should consider creating a Tourism Friendly Community designation to foster additional economic development across Texas. (Management action — nonstatutory)