By: Truan S.C.R. No. 51 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Emerging technologies have fueled the economic 1-2 resurgence of the Lone Star State in recent years, and marketing, 1-3 producing, and implementing research and development innovations is 1-4 essential to ensuring our state's continued economic prosperity in 1-5 the 21st century and beyond; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Texas universities spend approximately $1 billion 1-7 annually on basic and applied research, but, because Texas does not 1-8 provide an environment that promotes the commercialization of 1-9 cutting-edge technology as a long-term economic development 1-10 strategy, many opportunities to exploit this technological research 1-11 have been lost; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Although legislative and policy directives have 1-13 provided a foundation for high technology to advance Texas' 1-14 economic interests in the world market, a number of business 1-15 assistance and development programs established to promote 1-16 technology transfer and adoption in the private sector are either 1-17 at maximum capacity or no longer exist because of cuts in federal 1-18 and state funding; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Modifying existing programs to allow more flexible 1-20 approaches would increase access to capital for technology 1-21 development and adoption, enabling greater numbers of small 1-22 businesses to use new technology to enhance their competitiveness 1-23 and assist in job retention and creation; now, therefore, be it 2-1 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-2 hereby direct the Texas Department of Commerce to study and suggest 2-3 adjustments to existing business assistance programs in order to 2-4 increase technology-based investments in the state that will expand 2-5 both domestic and international market share for Texas businesses; 2-6 and, be it further 2-7 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-8 copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas 2-9 Department of Commerce.