By:  Duncan                                           H.B. No. 2249
       73R5273 LJR-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the emphasis of water conservation in certain advanced
    1-3  research and technology programs at institutions of higher
    1-4  education.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 142.003(c), Education Code, is amended to
    1-7  read as follows:
    1-8        (c)  The guidelines and procedures developed by the
    1-9  coordinating board must provide for awards on a competitive, peer
   1-10  review basis for specific projects at eligible institutions.  The
   1-11  guidelines must encourage projects that seek to reduce industrial,
   1-12  agricultural, and domestic water use.
   1-13        SECTION 2.  Section 143.004(d), Education Code, is amended to
   1-14  read as follows:
   1-15        (d)  The guidelines and procedures developed by the
   1-16  coordinating board under Subsection (c) of this section shall
   1-17  provide for awards on a competitive, peer review basis for specific
   1-18  projects at eligible institutions.  The guidelines shall encourage
   1-19  projects that seek to reduce industrial, agricultural, and domestic
   1-20  water use.  The coordinating board shall encourage projects that
   1-21  leverage funds from other sources and projects that propose
   1-22  innovative, collaborative efforts:
   1-23              (1)  across academic disciplines;
   1-24              (2)  among two or more eligible institutions; or
    2-1              (3)  between an eligible institution or institutions
    2-2  and private industry.
    2-3        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-8  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-9  passage, and it is so enacted.