1-1     By:  Truan                                            S.B. No. 1040

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 7, 1997; March 11, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 17, 1997,

 1-4     reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;

 1-5     April 17, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to programs of institutions of higher education that

 1-9     address small business research and development.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

1-12     amended by adding Section 61.0775 to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 61.0775.  BUSINESS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.  (a)  The

1-14     board shall conduct a continuing study of the programs and other

1-15     efforts of institutions of higher education to address the needs of

1-16     small businesses in this state for assistance in research,

1-17     development, and prototyping.

1-18           (b)  At times the board considers appropriate, the board

1-19     shall make recommendations to appropriate institutions of higher

1-20     education or the legislature on actions that may be taken to

1-21     address the needs of small businesses as described by Subsection

1-22     (a) in the most cost-effective manner, including through the

1-23     participation by institutions of higher education in partnerships,

1-24     ventures, or projects that promote the commercialization of

1-25     technology for or by small businesses.

1-26           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-27           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-28     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-29     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-30     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-31     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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