Article 12, § 5 — Political subdivisions not to become stockholders in or lend credit to private corporations — Exceptions

(a) No county, city, town or other municipal corporation, shall become a stockholder in any company, association, or corporation; or obtain or appropriate money for, or loan its credit to, any corporation, association, institution or individual. (b) However, a county, city, town, or other municipal corporation may obtain or appropriate money for a corporation, association, institution, or individual to: (1) Finance economic development projects; or (2) Provide economic development services. (c) As used in this section: (1) “Economic development projects” means the land, buildings, furnishings, equipment, facilities, infrastructure, and improvements that are required or suitable for the development, retention, or expansion of: (A) Manufacturing, production, and industrial facilities; (B) Research, technology, and development facilities; (C) Recycling facilities; (D) Distribution centers; (E) Call centers; (F) Warehouse facilities; (G) Job training facilities; (H) Regional or national corporate headquarters facilities; and (I) Sports complexes designed to host local, state, regional, and national competitions, including without limitation baseball, softball, and other sports tournaments; (2) “Economic development services” means: (A) Planning, marketing, and strategic advice and counsel regarding job recruitment, job development, job retention, and job expansion; (B) Supervision and operation of industrial parks or other such properties; and (C) Negotiation of contracts for the sale or lease of industrial parks or other such properties; and (3) “Infrastructure” means: (A) Land acquisition; (B) Site preparation; (C) Road and highway improvements; (D) Rail spur, railroad, and railport construction; (E) Water service; (F) Wastewater treatment; (G) Employee training which may include equipment for such purpose; and (H) Environmental mitigation or reclamation. (d) The General Assembly, by a three-fourths vote of each house, may amend the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section so long as the amendments are germane to this section and consistent with its policy and purposes.