1-1 By: Truan S.B. No. 1518 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1997; March 20, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on International Relations, 1-4 Trade, and Technology; April 4, 1997, reported adversely, with 1-5 favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1-6 1; April 4, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1518 By: Truan 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the creation of the Texas High Technology Partnership 1-11 Center. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds 1-14 that: 1-15 (1) there is a need for increased collaboration 1-16 between the public and private sector to ensure that Texas is able 1-17 to attract and retain the top companies representing the emerging 1-18 energy, environmental, and information-based businesses of the 1-19 future; 1-20 (2) the economic well-being of the Texas energy, 1-21 environmental, and information-based industries is critical to the 1-22 State of Texas, the financing of state government, and adequate 1-23 energy for our citizens; 1-24 (3) at a time when competition for corporate locations 1-25 is increasing, it is extremely important that a public-private 1-26 partnership be formed to help assure the future stability of the 1-27 business economy of the State of Texas; such public-private 1-28 partnership is essential for Texas to maintain its position as a 1-29 world leader in the energy and environmental industries; and 1-30 (4) the creation of an entity with the specific 1-31 responsibility to develop or disseminate high technology products 1-32 or concepts originating in the state, including at Texas 1-33 institutions of higher education, is a benefit to the state. 1-34 SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, 1-35 is amended by adding Chapter 150 to read as follows: 1-36 CHAPTER 150. TEXAS HIGH TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP 1-37 Sec. 150.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-38 (1) "Center" means the Houston Advanced Research 1-39 Center. 1-40 (2) "Partnership" means the Texas High Technology 1-41 Partnership. 1-42 Sec. 150.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The Texas High 1-43 Technology Partnership is hereby established to provide assistance, 1-44 including funding, to partnerships between private and public 1-45 entities seeking to develop or disseminate high technology products 1-46 or concepts originating in this state, including at a Texas 1-47 institution of higher education. 1-48 Sec. 150.003. LOCATION. The partnership shall be located at 1-49 the center, a research consortium which includes the following 1-50 founding member institutions: The University of Texas at Austin, 1-51 Texas A&M University, Rice University, and the University of 1-52 Houston. 1-53 Sec. 150.004. ADMINISTRATION. The administration of the 1-54 partnership shall be by the board of directors of the center. 1-55 Sec. 150.005. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) If the governor 1-56 appoints an advisory committee on science and technology, the 1-57 committee may also serve as an advisory committee to the board of 1-58 directors of the center. 1-59 (b) The advisory committee may suggest to the partnership 1-60 areas that private and public high technology partnerships should 1-61 pursue and may be asked by the partnership or the board of 1-62 directors of the center to review or evaluate proposals submitted 1-63 to the partnership. 1-64 Sec. 150.006. FUNDING. (a) The partnership is authorized 2-1 to receive funds from the federal government in addition to any 2-2 amount appropriated by the legislature. The partnership is also 2-3 authorized to receive pledges, gifts, and endowments from private 2-4 sources. 2-5 (b) The board of directors of the center shall manage and 2-6 approve all disbursements of pledges, gifts, and endowments. 2-7 (c) The board of directors of the center may use funds 2-8 unless otherwise restricted to award grants or funding to private 2-9 and public partnerships or to provide matching funds to a private 2-10 and public partnership. 2-11 Sec. 150.007. AWARD OF FUNDING. (a) If the board of 2-12 directors of the center awards grants or funds to private and 2-13 public partnerships, the board of directors of the center shall, 2-14 not later than the 180th day before the date of the award of the 2-15 grant, publish a list of factors the center's board of directors 2-16 shall consider in awarding funds under this section. 2-17 (b) The board of directors of the center shall consider: 2-18 (1) whether members of the private and public 2-19 partnership are residents of this state; and 2-20 (2) whether the private and public partnership 2-21 promotes the use of a high technology item developed at a Texas 2-22 institution of higher education. 2-23 (c) The primary factor the board of directors of the center 2-24 shall consider is which award or grant is most likely to provide 2-25 the maximum return to any public entity participating in the 2-26 private and public partnership and to the Texas High Technology 2-27 Partnership. 2-28 Sec. 150.008. EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN STATUTES. The 2-29 purchasing requirements for goods and services of the General 2-30 Services Commission, including Subtitle D, Title 10, Government 2-31 Code, do not apply to the purchase of goods or services by the 2-32 partnership under this chapter. 2-33 SECTION 3. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 2-34 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-38 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-39 passage, and it is so enacted. 2-40 * * * * *