By Truan S.B. No. 814 75R1140 CLG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment of a video teleconferencing pilot 1-3 program to assist certain businesses in establishing international 1-4 trade relationships. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The Texas Department of 1-7 Commerce by rule shall develop a video teleconferencing pilot 1-8 program designed to assist small businesses in establishing 1-9 international trade relationships by allowing the businesses access 1-10 to certain video conferencing facilities for a fee. 1-11 (b) In adopting rules under this section, the department 1-12 shall: 1-13 (1) work in conjunction with small business 1-14 development centers affiliated with institutions of higher 1-15 education, as that term is defined by Section 61.003, Education 1-16 Code, and with the General Services Commission to develop the pilot 1-17 program; 1-18 (2) ensure that the pilot program is designed to allow 1-19 small businesses with limited resources to explore trade 1-20 possibilities with foreign countries before actually traveling to 1-21 those countries; 1-22 (3) determine the amount of the usage fees to be 1-23 charged to participants of the pilot program, which in the 1-24 aggregate may not be more than the amount necessary to cover the 2-1 cost of administering and implementing the pilot program; 2-2 (4) establish the pilot program in three counties with 2-3 a population of 590,000 or more, at least one of which borders the 2-4 Republic of Mexico; and 2-5 (5) set a timetable to implement and complete the 2-6 pilot program. 2-7 SECTION 2. REPORTS. Not later than January 15, 1999, the 2-8 Texas Department of Commerce shall submit to the governor and the 2-9 legislature an initial report concerning the effectiveness of the 2-10 pilot program. The Texas Department of Commerce shall submit to 2-11 the governor and legislature a subsequent report not later than 2-12 January 15, 2001. 2-13 SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE AND DEADLINES. (a) This Act 2-14 takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-15 (b) The Texas Department of Commerce shall establish the 2-16 pilot program required by this Act not later than January 1, 1998. 2-17 SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires September 1, 2-18 2001. 2-19 SECTION 5. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 2-20 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.