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.