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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a grant matching program for the federal |
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small business innovation research and small business technology |
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transfer programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 489, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH AND SMALL BUSINESS |
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TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER GRANT MATCHING PROGRAM |
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Sec. 489.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Federal funding program" means the small business |
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innovation research and small business technology transfer |
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programs established by 15 U.S.C. Section 638. |
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(2) "Grant matching program" means the small business |
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innovation research and small business technology transfer grant |
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matching program established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 489.352. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF GRANT |
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MATCHING PROGRAM. The office shall establish and administer the |
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small business innovation research and small business technology |
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transfer grant matching program to foster job creation and economic |
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development in this state by matching or supplementing money |
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received by a business entity through the federal funding program. |
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Sec. 489.353. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive money |
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under the grant matching program, a business entity must: |
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(1) be organized under the laws of this state; |
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(2) meet all requirements to receive money under the |
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federal funding program; |
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(3) not receive concurrent funding from another state |
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program or fund that serves the same purpose as the grant matching |
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program; and |
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(4) meet any additional requirements under this |
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subchapter for the applicable phase under which the business entity |
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applies to receive money. |
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Sec. 489.354. APPLICATION. (a) A business entity may apply |
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to receive money under the grant matching program by submitting an |
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application under oath to the office on a form prescribed by the |
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office. The application must include: |
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(1) the business entity's name; |
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(2) the business entity's business organization |
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structure; |
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(3) the business entity's address and any principals |
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listed at a different address; |
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(4) certification of the information required under |
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Section 489.353; and |
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(5) any other information required by the office. |
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(b) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (a), a |
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business entity must provide to the office, as applicable: |
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(1) for "phase zero" or a similar stage of the federal |
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funding program process, a notification of receipt for an |
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application for funding under the federal funding program; |
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(2) for "phase one" or a similar stage of the federal |
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funding program process: |
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(A) a notice of award to the entity from a funding |
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agency under the federal funding program; |
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(B) a final report for the applicable stage as |
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required by the federal funding program; and |
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(C) a proposal for money under the next stage of |
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the federal funding program; and |
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(3) for "phase two" or a similar stage of the federal |
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funding program process: |
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(A) a notice of award to the entity from a funding |
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agency under the federal funding program; and |
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(B) a final report for the applicable stage as |
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required by the federal funding program. |
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Sec. 489.355. AWARD OF GRANT; LIMITATIONS. (a) The office |
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may award a "phase zero" grant under this subchapter of not more |
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than $2,500 immediately on fulfillment of the requirements under |
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Section 489.354(b)(1). A business entity may not receive more than |
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five grants under this subsection. |
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(b) The office may award a "phase one" grant under this |
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subchapter of not more than $100,000, with 50 percent of the money |
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to be awarded on receipt of the notice of an award described by |
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Section 489.354(b)(2)(A) and 50 percent of the money to be awarded |
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on receipt of the proposal described by Section 489.354(b)(2)(C). A |
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business entity may only receive one grant under this subsection in |
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a single fiscal year. A business entity may not receive more than |
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five grants under this subsection. |
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(c) The office may award a "phase two" grant under this |
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subchapter of not more than $100,000 each year for not more than two |
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years. Disbursement for the first year of the award must occur |
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immediately on fulfillment of the requirements under Section |
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489.354(b)(3). Disbursement for the second year of the award may |
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occur on the anniversary of the first disbursement if the business |
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entity provides certification to the office that the entity will |
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continue to receive funding under the federal funding program for a |
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second year. A business entity may only receive one grant under this |
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subsection in a single fiscal year. A business entity may not |
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receive more than five grants under this subsection. |
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(d) A business entity may assign a grant received under this |
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subchapter only with the prior written consent of the office. |
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Sec. 489.356. FUNDING. The office shall award grants as |
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provided by this subchapter from available money and any additional |
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money appropriated for purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office |
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shall adopt the rules necessary to implement Subchapter G, Chapter |
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489, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |