Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 349 amends the Government Code to authorize the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) to acquire, apply for, register, secure, hold, protect, and renew patents, copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property. The department is also authorized to contract for the use or distribution of the intellectual property and to waive, increase, or reduce the amount of compensation secured by such a contract if it furthers a goal or mission of the department and results in a net benefit to the state. Except for money from the sale or lease of software, payments to the DIR for intellectual property must be deposited in the general revenue fund. The bill also repeals a requirement for biennial audits of state agency software licenses.