By:  Martin                                            H.B. No. 227
       73R1761 SOS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to establishing the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 87, Education Code, is
    1-5  amended by adding Section 87.207 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 87.207.  CENTER FOR TEXAS BEACHES AND SHORES.  (a)  The
    1-7  Center for Texas Beaches and Shores is a component of Texas A&M
    1-8  University at Galveston.
    1-9        (b)  The center is under the management and direction of the
   1-10  board of regents.
   1-11        (c)  The center shall:
   1-12              (1)  research problems at coastal conservation areas;
   1-13              (2)  study the effects of nature and humans on coastal
   1-14  conservation areas;
   1-15              (3)  develop ways to control the loss of shoreline in
   1-16  coastal conservation areas and to avoid ecological damage to
   1-17  coastal conservation areas using innovative technologies; and
   1-18              (4)  cooperate and consult with the General Land Office
   1-19  and other state agencies to manage coastal conservation areas.
   1-20        (d)  The board of regents may employ personnel for the
   1-21  center, including experts in coastal engineering, marine geology,
   1-22  ecology, biology, and economics.
   1-23        (e)  The board of regents may accept a gift or grant from any
   1-24  public or private source for the benefit of the center.
    2-1        (f)  In this section:
    2-2              (1)  "Board of regents" means the board of regents of
    2-3  The Texas A&M University System.
    2-4              (2)  "Center" means the Center for Texas Beaches and
    2-5  Shores.
    2-6              (3)  "Coastal conservation areas" has the meaning
    2-7  assigned by Section 33.052(d), Natural Resources Code.
    2-8        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-9  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-10  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-11  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-12  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-13  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-14  passage, and it is so enacted.