BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1489 By: Ratliff Education 04-20-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation may only enter into research agreements with the University of Texas at Austin and with the Texas A&M University System. Any other state-supported university capable of providing research for the department can do so only by following the procedures outlined in the Interagency Cooperation Act. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1489 authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into agreements with other state-supported universities that have the capability to provide quality research. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 67.24, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 67.24. (a) Authorizes the state comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) to draw proper warrants in favor of the University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) based on vouchers or claims submitted by the UT-Austin through the Texas Department of Transportation (department) covering reasonable fees and charges for services rendered by members of the staff of the University of Texas System to the department and for equipment and materials necessary for research and experimentation in all phases of transportation, activity, economics, materials, specifications, design of transportation facilities, including, but not limited to, roadways and airports, construction, maintenance, pavement and structures, drainage, traffic control, safety, the economics of transportation facility design and construction, and other fields of transportation system and facility planning, design, construction, maintenance, or operation, based on an agreement between the department and the university. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. (b) Defines "transportation facilities." (c) Authorizes the department to contract with the university for research conducted by the university as authorized by this section. (d) Provides that an agreement entered into under this chapter is not subject to the Interagency Cooperation Act, Chapter 771, Government Code. SECTION 2. Amends Section 85.29, Education Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 3. Amends Title 3H, Education Code, by adding Chapter 150, as follows: CHAPTER 150. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH Sec. 150.001. Defines "department," "public senior college or university," and "transportation facilities." Sec. 150.003. Authorizes the comptroller to draw proper warrants in favor of any public senior college or university based on vouchers or claims submitted by the university or college through the department covering reasonable system charges for services rendered by members of the staff of the university or college to the department and for equipment and materials necessary for research and experimentation in all phases of transportation activity, economics, materials, specifications, design of transportation facilities roadways, construction, maintenance, pavement and structures, drainage, traffic control, safety, the economics of transportation facility highway design and construction, and other fields of transportation system and facility planning, design, construction, maintenance, or operation, based on an agreement between the department and the university or college. Sec. 150.005. Requires the state treasurer to pay warrants so issued against any funds appropriated by the legislature to the department. Requires the payments made to the university or college to be credited and deposited to local institutional funds under its control. Sec. 150.007. Authorizes the department to contract with a public senior college or university for research conducted by an institution as authorized by this chapter. Sec. 150.009. Provides that an agreement entered into under this chapter is not subject to the Interagency Cooperation Act, Chapter 771, Government Code. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.