By Wise H.B. No. 1259 76R5818 CAG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation and operation of the Lower Rio Grande 1-3 Valley Regional Training, Research, and Economic Development 1-4 Center. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 88, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-7 Subchapter D to read as follows: 1-8 SUBCHAPTER D. LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY REGIONAL TRAINING, 1-9 RESEARCH, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER 1-10 Sec. 88.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: 1-11 (1) "Center" means the Lower Rio Grande Valley 1-12 Regional Training, Research, and Economic Development Center. 1-13 (2) "Service area" means the area composed of Cameron, 1-14 Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. 1-15 Sec. 88.302. CREATION OF CENTER. (a) The Lower Rio Grande 1-16 Valley Regional Training, Research, and Economic Development Center 1-17 is established as a component of The Texas A&M University System. 1-18 The center shall be located within the service area at a facility 1-19 owned or operated by the system. 1-20 (b) The operating budget, staffing, and activities of the 1-21 center are subject to the approval of the board. 1-22 (c) The board may assign responsibility for the management 1-23 of the center to any component institution of The Texas A&M 1-24 University System. 2-1 Sec. 88.303. PURPOSE. The center shall: 2-2 (1) develop a comprehensive approach to addressing the 2-3 economic needs of the service area; 2-4 (2) deliver professional human resource development to 2-5 meet the needs of or to create value for the service area's 2-6 economic assets; 2-7 (3) assist federal, state, or local governmental 2-8 entities in economic development collaborations in the service 2-9 area; 2-10 (4) establish forums for leadership development and 2-11 economic development collaboration to address related community 2-12 issues in the service area; 2-13 (5) serve as a training and research center for 2-14 federal, state, local, or other community development initiatives 2-15 in the service area; 2-16 (6) create collaborative resource development for 2-17 maquiladora and international trade development; and 2-18 (7) create integrated and environmental research 2-19 services to enhance economic and community development initiatives 2-20 in the service area. 2-21 Sec. 88.304. COOPERATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES. The center 2-22 may execute and carry out affiliation or coordination agreements 2-23 with any other entity or institution in the service area to 2-24 establish or to participate in the establishment or operation of 2-25 the center. 2-26 Sec. 88.305. FUNDING. The center may receive state 2-27 appropriated funds as considered appropriate by the legislature. 3-1 Sec. 88.306. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board may solicit, 3-2 accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private 3-3 source for the use and benefit of the center. 3-4 Sec. 88.307. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The board shall 3-5 appoint an advisory committee for the center. The advisory 3-6 committee shall make program priority recommendations to the board 3-7 and serve as a resource group for the center. 3-8 (b) The advisory committee consists of: 3-9 (1) a representative of The Texas A&M University 3-10 System; 3-11 (2) the person responsible for the day-to-day 3-12 operation of the center; and 3-13 (3) 12 members of the general public, composed of 3-14 three residents from each county in the service area. 3-15 (c) In appointing public members, the board, on the 3-16 recommendation of the person responsible for the day-to-day 3-17 operation of the center, shall appoint persons who have 3-18 demonstrated an interest in the economic development of the service 3-19 area. 3-20 SECTION 2. The board of regents of The Texas A&M University 3-21 System shall establish the Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional 3-22 Training, Research, and Economic Development Center under 3-23 Subchapter D, Chapter 88, Education Code, as added by this Act, not 3-24 later than September 1, 2000. 3-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-4 passage, and it is so enacted.