1-1     By:  Williams (Senate Sponsor - Bernsen)              H.B. No. 2547
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Education; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the operation of the Geo-Technology Research Institute.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 149.002, Education Code, is amended to
1-11     read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 149.002.  GEO-TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.  The
1-13     Geo-Technology Research Institute is located at the center, a
1-14     research consortium that includes The University of Texas at
1-15     Austin, Texas A&M University, Rice University, and the University
1-16     of Houston.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 149.004, Education Code, is amended to
1-18     read as follows:
1-19           Sec. 149.004.  DUTIES.  (a) The institute shall conduct basic
1-20     and applied research and analysis in geoscience [geophysics],
1-21     geo-technology, and related fields, including the implementation of
1-22     technological advances and development of integrated databases [to
1-23     discover new reserves and to develop technology that increases the
1-24     production potential of oil and natural gas].
1-25           (b)  Results of the research of the institute shall be made
1-26     available to state agencies [the General Land Office, the Railroad
1-27     Commission of Texas], other public bodies and officials, industry,
1-28     and private citizens [groups].
1-29           SECTION 3.  Sections 149.005(a) and (c), Education Code, are
1-30     amended to read as follows:
1-31           (a)  The institute may receive:
1-32                 (1)  funds from the federal government or the state
1-33     government, including funds from:
1-34                       (A)  direct appropriations to the institute;
1-35                       (B)  an agreement under Chapter 771 or 791,
1-36     Government Code; or
1-37                       (C)  a contract under Subtitle D, Title 10,
1-38     Government Code, including funds received as a vendor in a
1-39     proprietary purchase made under Section 2155.067, Government Code;
1-40     and
1-41                 (2)  pledges or gifts from private sources.
1-42           (c)  The use of state funds is limited to expenditures for
1-43     basic and applied research and analysis, excluding construction
1-44     costs [for  construction, operation, or maintenance of facilities].
1-45           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-46     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-47     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-48     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-49     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-50     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-51     passage, and it is so enacted.
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