By Williams H.B. No. 2548
76R7448 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the Texas High Technology Partnership
1-3 Center.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:
1-6 (1) there is a need for increased collaboration
1-7 between the public and private sectors to ensure that Texas is able
1-8 to attract and retain the top companies representing the emerging
1-9 energy, environmental, and information-based businesses of the
1-10 future;
1-11 (2) the economic well-being of the Texas energy,
1-12 environmental, and information-based industries is critical to the
1-13 State of Texas, the financing of state government, and adequate
1-14 energy for our citizens;
1-15 (3) Texas industries and citizens need a healthy
1-16 environment in which to operate and live;
1-17 (4) at a time when federal regulations and associated
1-18 implementation plans could have an adverse impact on the state's
1-19 economy, it is critical that a public-private partnership be formed
1-20 to help assure the future stability of both the state's business
1-21 economy and its environment, allowing Texas to maintain its
1-22 position as a world leader;
1-23 (5) the creation of a public-private partnership with
1-24 the specific responsibility to develop or disseminate technologies
2-1 and services would support the state's industries and assure that
2-2 environmental and economic decisions are made from informed
2-3 perspectives; and
2-4 (6) a top priority and immediate role for this
2-5 partnership would be to fund the creation of the Environmental
2-6 Clearinghouse and Analysis Center that would serve Texas by
2-7 offering information technologies and tools and analytical and
2-8 modeling capabilities to focus on the short-term and long-term
2-9 regulatory, environmental, and economic impact of environmental
2-10 decisions.
2-11 SECTION 2. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
2-12 by adding Chapter 151 to read as follows:
2-13 CHAPTER 151. TEXAS HIGH TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
2-14 Sec. 151.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
2-15 (1) "Center" means the Houston Advanced Research
2-16 Center.
2-17 (2) "Partnership" means, unless the context indicates
2-18 otherwise, the Texas High Technology Partnership.
2-19 Sec. 151.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) The Texas High
2-20 Technology Partnership is established to provide assistance,
2-21 including funding, to partnerships between private and public
2-22 entities seeking to develop or disseminate high technology products
2-23 or concepts originating in this state, including at a Texas
2-24 institution of higher education.
2-25 (b) The Environmental Clearinghouse and Analysis Center is
2-26 established to offer information technologies and tools and
2-27 analytical and modeling capabilities that focus on the short-term
3-1 and long-term regulatory, environmental, and economic impact of
3-2 environmental decisions. The clearinghouse is part of the
3-3 partnership.
3-4 Sec. 151.003. LOCATION. The partnership is located at the
3-5 center, a research consortium that includes as founding member
3-6 institutions The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M
3-7 University, Rice University, and the University of Houston.
3-8 Sec. 151.004. ADMINISTRATION. The board of directors of the
3-9 center shall administer the partnership.
3-10 Sec. 151.005. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) If the governor
3-11 appoints an advisory committee on science and technology, the
3-12 committee may also serve as an advisory committee to the board of
3-13 directors of the center. The center's collaborative institutions
3-14 and representatives of state agencies may also serve on the
3-15 advisory committee when serving as an advisory committee to the
3-16 board of directors of the center.
3-17 (b) The advisory committee may suggest to the partnership
3-18 areas that private and public high technology partnerships should
3-19 pursue and may be asked by the partnership or the board of
3-20 directors of the center to review or evaluate proposals submitted
3-21 to the partnership.
3-22 Sec. 151.006. FUNDING. (a) The partnership may apply for
3-23 and accept funds from the federal government in addition to any
3-24 amount appropriated by the legislature. The partnership may also
3-25 solicit and accept pledges, gifts, and endowments from private
3-26 sources.
3-27 (b) The board of directors of the center shall manage and
4-1 approve all disbursements of pledges, gifts, and endowments.
4-2 (c) The board of directors of the center may use funds
4-3 unless otherwise restricted to award grants or funding to private
4-4 and public partnerships or to provide matching funds to a private
4-5 and public partnership.
4-6 Sec. 151.007. AWARD OF FUNDING. (a) If the board of
4-7 directors of the center awards grants or funds to private and
4-8 public partnerships, the board of directors of the center shall,
4-9 not later than the 180th day before the date of the award of the
4-10 grant, publish a list of factors the center's board of directors
4-11 will consider in awarding the grants or funds.
4-12 (b) In awarding grants or funds, the board of directors of
4-13 the center shall consider:
4-14 (1) whether members of a private and public
4-15 partnership are residents of this state; and
4-16 (2) whether the private and public partnership
4-17 promotes the use of a high technology item developed at a Texas
4-18 institution of higher education.
4-19 (c) The primary factor the board of directors of the center
4-20 shall consider is which award or grant is most likely to provide
4-21 the maximum return to any public entity participating in the
4-22 private and public partnership and to the Texas High Technology
4-23 Partnership.
4-24 Sec. 151.008. ANNUAL REPORTING. The partnership shall
4-25 provide to each member of the board of directors of the center an
4-26 annual audited financial statement and a status report of each
4-27 project undertaken by the partnership.
5-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-7 passage, and it is so enacted.