Sec. 12.046. TEXAS RURAL INVESTMENT FUND. (a) In this section:
(1) "Fund" means the Texas Rural Investment Fund.
(2) "Rural community" means a municipality with a population of less than 50,000 or a county with a population of less than 200,000.
(b) The fund is a dedicated account in the general revenue fund and consists of:
(1) appropriations of money to the fund by the legislature;
(2) gifts, grants, including federal grants, and other donations received for the fund; and
(3) interest earned on the investment of money in the fund.
(b-1) The department shall administer the fund and select recipients of grants and loans from the fund.
(c) The fund may be used by the department only to:
(1) pay for grants or loans to public or private entities for projects in rural communities that have strong local support, provide positive return on the state's investment, and stimulate one or more of the following:
(A) local entrepreneurship;
(B) job creation or retention;
(C) new capital investment;
(D) strategic economic development planning;
(E) individual economic and community development leadership training;
(F) housing development; or
(G) innovative workforce education; and
(2) administer the grant and loan program under this section.
(d) In awarding a grant or loan of money from the fund for a project, the department shall consider:
(1) the project's effect on job creation and wages;
(2) the financial strength of the applicant;
(3) the applicant's business history;
(4) an analysis of the relevant business sector;
(5) whether there is public or private sector financial support for the project; and
(6) whether there is local support for the project.
(e) The fund is exempt from the application of Sections 403.095 and 404.071, Government Code.
(f) The department may accept grants, gifts, or donations from any source that are made for the purposes of this section. Money received under this subsection shall be deposited in the fund.
(g) The department shall adopt rules to administer this section.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 506 (S.B. 1016), Sec. 9.04, eff. September 1, 2009.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 2 - Department of Agriculture
Chapter 12 - Powers and Duties
Section 12.001. Execution of Laws
Section 12.0011. Authority to Enter Into Cooperative Agreements
Section 12.002. Development of Agriculture
Section 12.0025. Nutrition Programs
Section 12.0026. Interagency Farm-to-School Coordination Task Force
Section 12.0027. Nutrition Outreach Program
Section 12.0029. Summer Nutrition Programs
Section 12.003. Agricultural Societies
Section 12.006. Development of Domestic and Foreign Markets
Section 12.007. Plant Diseases and Pests
Section 12.010. Correspondence With Government Agencies and Others
Section 12.011. Agricultural Resource Statistics
Section 12.0135. Conflict Provisions
Section 12.0145. Submission of Proposed Fee Schedule
Section 12.015. Cooperation With Texas a & M University and Experiment Stations
Section 12.0175. "Go-Texan" Program
Section 12.0176. Cooperation With Certain Commodity Producers Boards
Section 12.0177. Texas Nursery and Floral Account
Section 12.020. Administrative Penalties
Section 12.0201. License Sanctions
Section 12.0202. Administrative Hearings
Section 12.0203. Negotiated Rulemaking and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Section 12.0204. Advisory Committees
Section 12.0205. Coordination of Consumer Protection Enforcement With Office of Attorney General
Section 12.021. Fee for Phytosanitation Inspection; Issuance of Certificate
Section 12.022. Authority to Solicit and Accept Gifts, Grants, and Donations
Section 12.023. Expiration of Registration or Licenses
Section 12.024. Late Renewal of License or Registration
Section 12.025. Program Accessibility Plan
Section 12.026. Public Interest Information
Section 12.0261. Administrative Procedure
Section 12.027. Economic Development Program
Section 12.0271. Rural Economic Development and Investment Program
Section 12.0272. Texas Economic Development Fund
Section 12.0273. Limitations on Loans and Grants From Texas Economic Development Fund
Section 12.028. Competitive Bidding or Advertising
Section 12.029. Minority and Female-Owned Business Contracts
Section 12.031. Advertising, Publications, and Fees
Section 12.032. Cooperation With State Office of Administrative Hearings
Section 12.033. Multiple Licenses
Section 12.034. Refund or Waiver of Fees
Section 12.035. Notice to Examinee
Section 12.036. Licensing Out-of-State Applicants
Section 12.037. Continuing Education
Section 12.038. Office of Rural Affairs
Section 12.039. Certain Wine Produced or Bottled in This State
Section 12.040. Texas Certified Retirement Community Program
Section 12.041. School Breakfast and Lunch Program
Section 12.042. Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program
Section 12.046. Texas Rural Investment Fund
Section 12.047. Use of Technology
Section 12.048. Obtaining Criminal History Record Information
Section 12.050. Trade Agricultural Inspection Grant Program
Section 12.051. Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program