1-1     By:  Truan                                             S.B. No. 814

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 26, 1997; March 4, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on International Relations,

 1-4     Trade, and Technology; April 11, 1997, reported adversely, with

 1-5     favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays

 1-6     0; April 11, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 814                    By:  Truan

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to the establishment of a video teleconferencing pilot

1-11     program to assist certain businesses in establishing international

1-12     trade relationships.

1-13           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-14           SECTION 1.  PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  The International Trade and

1-15     Technology Center at The University of Texas-Pan American shall

1-16     develop a video teleconferencing pilot program designed to assist

1-17     small businesses in establishing international trade relationships

1-18     by allowing the businesses access to certain video conferencing

1-19     facilities for a fee.

1-20           (b)  In implementing this pilot program, the International

1-21     Trade and Technology Center at The University of Texas-Pan American

1-22     shall:

1-23                 (1)  work in conjunction with small business

1-24     development centers affiliated with institutions of higher

1-25     education, as that term is defined by Section 61.003, Education

1-26     Code, and with the General Services Commission to develop the pilot

1-27     program;

1-28                 (2)  ensure that the pilot program is designed to allow

1-29     small businesses with limited resources to explore trade

1-30     possibilities with foreign countries before actually traveling to

1-31     those countries;

1-32                 (3)  determine the amount of the usage fees to be

1-33     charged to participants of the pilot program, which in the

1-34     aggregate may not be more than the amount necessary to cover the

1-35     cost of administering and implementing the pilot program;

1-36                 (4)  utilize mobile telecommunications facilities, if

1-37     available; and

1-38                 (5)  set a timetable for implementing and completing

1-39     the pilot program.

1-40           (c)  To cover the cost of administering and implementing this

1-41     pilot program, the International Trade and Technology Center at The

1-42     University of Texas-Pan American may attempt to obtain any

1-43     available federal foundation or private funding from any legal

1-44     source.

1-45           SECTION 2.  REPORTS. Not later than January 15, 1999, the

1-46     International Trade and Technology Center at The University of

1-47     Texas-Pan American shall submit to the governor and the legislature

1-48     an initial report concerning the effectiveness of the pilot

1-49     program.  The center shall submit to the governor and the

1-50     legislature a subsequent report not later than January 15, 2001.

1-51           SECTION 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE AND DEADLINES.  (a)  This Act

1-52     takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-53           (b)  The International Trade and Technology Center at The

1-54     University of Texas-Pan American should establish the pilot program

1-55     required by this Act not later than January 1, 1998.

1-56           SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires September 1,

1-57     2002.

1-58           SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

1-59     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-60     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-61     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-62     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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