By Truan                                        S.C.R. No. 51

      75R7135 AMB-D                           

                                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

1-24           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-1     hereby direct the Texas Department of Commerce to study and suggest

 2-2     adjustments to existing business assistance programs in order to

 2-3     increase technology-based investments in the state that will expand

 2-4     both domestic and international market share for Texas businesses;

 2-5     and, be it further

 2-6           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

 2-7     copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas

 2-8     Department of Commerce.