Relating to the eligibility of the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals for funding under the Major Events Reimbursement Program.
relating to the eligibility of the South by Southwest Conference
and Festivals for funding under the Major Events Reimbursement
Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 478.0001(3) and (7), Government Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(3) “Event” means any of the following and includes any
activity related to or associated with the following:
(A) the Academy of Country Music Awards;
(B) the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games;
(C) the Bassmaster Classic;
(D) a Big 12 Football Conference Championship game;
(E) the Breeders’ Cup World Championships;
(F) the CMT (Country Music Television) Music Awards;
(G) a game of the College Football Playoff or its
successor;
(H) the Confederation of North, Central America and
Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) Gold Cup;
(I) a CONVRG conference;
(J) an Elite Rodeo Association World Championship;
(K) a Federation Equestre Internationale World Cup
Final;
(L) a Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM)
World Supercross Championship race;
(M) the Formula One United States Grand Prix;
(N) the largest event held each year at a sports
entertainment venue in this state with a permanent seating
capacity, including grandstand and premium seating, of at least
125,000 on September 1, 2021;
(O) the Major League Baseball All-Star Game;
(P) the Major League Soccer All-Star Game or the Major
League Soccer Cup;
(Q) a mixed martial arts championship;
(R) the Moto Grand Prix of the United States;
(S) the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
(NASCAR):
(i) All-Star Race;
(ii) season-ending Championship Race; or
(iii) Texas Grand Prix race;
(T) the National Basketball Association All-Star
Game;
(U) a National Collegiate Athletic Association Final
Four tournament game;
(V) the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s
or women’s lacrosse championships;
(W) a national collegiate championship of an amateur
sport sanctioned by the national governing body of the sport that is
recognized by the United States Olympic Committee;
(X) the National Cutting Horse Association Triple
Crown;
(Y) the National Hockey League All-Star Game;
(Z) the National Hot Rod Association Fall Nationals at
the Texas Motorplex;
(AA) a national political convention of the Republican
National Committee or the Democratic National Committee;
(BB) the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA)
Championship Series;
(CC) an Olympic activity, including a Junior or Senior
activity, training program, or feeder program sanctioned by the
United States Olympic Committee’s Community Olympic Development
Program;
(DD) a presidential general election debate;
(EE) the Professional Bull Riders World Finals;
(FF) the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
National Finals Rodeo;
(GG) a series of cricket matches or competitions
within the T20 World Cup;
(HH) the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals;
(II) a Super Bowl;
(JJ) [(II)] the United States Open Championship;
(KK) [(JJ)] a World Cup soccer game or the World Cup
soccer tournament;
(LL) [(KK)] the World Games;
(MM) [(LL)] a World Wrestling Entertainment
WrestleMania event; or
(NN) [(MM)] the X Games.
(7) “Site selection organization” means:
(A) the Academy of Country Music;
(B) the Amateur Athletic Union;
(C) Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, LLC;
(D) the Big 12 Conference;
(E) CMT (Country Music Television) Productions Inc.;
(F) the College Football Playoff Administration, LLC,
or its successor;
(G) the Commission on Presidential Debates;
(H) the Confederation of North, Central America and
Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf);
(I) the Democratic National Committee;
(J) Dorna Sports;
(K) the Elite Rodeo Association;
(L) Encore Live;
(M) ESPN or an affiliate;
(N) the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI);
(O) the Federation Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA);
(P) the International Cricket Council;
(Q) the International World Games Association;
(R) Major League Baseball;
(S) Major League Soccer;
(T) the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
(NASCAR);
(U) the National Basketball Association;
(V) the National Collegiate Athletic Association;
(W) the National Cutting Horse Association;
(X) the National Football League;
(Y) the National Hockey League;
(Z) the National Hot Rod Association;
(AA) the National Reined Cow Horse Association
(NRCHA);
(BB) Professional Bull Riders, LLC;
(CC) the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association;
(DD) the Republican National Committee;
(EE) South by Southwest;
(FF) SX Global;
(GG) [(FF)] the Ultimate Fighting Championship;
(HH) [(GG)] the United States Golf Association;
(II) [(HH)] the United States Olympic Committee;
(JJ) [(II)] World Wrestling Entertainment; or
(KK) [(JJ)] the national governing body of a sport
that is recognized by:
(i) the Federation Internationale de
l’Automobile;
(ii) Formula One Management Limited or its
successor;
(iii) the National Thoroughbred Racing
Association; or
(iv) the United States Olympic Committee.
SECTION 2. Section 478.0053, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 478.0053. EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN LARGE VENUES. Section 478.0051(b)(1) does
not apply to an event described by Section 478.0001(3)(N) or (HH).
If an endorsing municipality or endorsing county requests the
office to make a determination under Section 478.0102 for an event
described by Section 478.0001(3)(N) or (HH), the remaining
provisions of this chapter apply to that event as if the event
satisfied the eligibility requirements under Section
478.0051(b)(1).
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
