1-1     By:  Davis of Harris, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Brown) H.B. No. 2992
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999;
 1-3     May 6, 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 creation of a business technology outreach program
 1-9     at the University of Houston.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 111, Education Code, is
1-12     amended by adding Section 111.42 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 111.42.  BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.  (a)  The
1-14     board shall develop and establish a business technology outreach
1-15     program to assist businesses in this state to make use of
1-16     technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space
1-17     Administration.  The board shall work with the National Aeronautics
1-18     and Space Administration, appropriate businesses, and economic
1-19     development organizations in this state to carry out the program.
1-20           (b)  From money appropriated to or otherwise under the
1-21     control of the board, the board may award grants to economic
1-22     development organizations for use in recruiting appropriate
1-23     businesses for participation in the program and to provide other
1-24     appropriate assistance to program participants.
1-25           (c)  The board shall appoint an advisory board of technical
1-26     advisors to evaluate requests from economic development
1-27     organizations and businesses for assistance under the program and
1-28     advise the board on distribution of the assistance.
1-29           (d)  The board shall adopt rules to administer the program,
1-30     including rules relating to application and eligibility for grants.
1-31     The board may enter into agreements as necessary to carry out the
1-32     program.
1-33           SECTION 2.  Before September 1, 2000, the board of regents of
1-34     the University of Houston System shall provide assistance under
1-35     Section 111.42, Education Code, as added by this Act, only in a
1-36     county with a population of more than 200,000 that contains, or is
1-37     contiguous to a county that contains, a National Aeronautics and
1-38     Space Administration facility.  On and after September 1, 2000, the
1-39     board of regents may provide the assistance throughout the state.
1-40           SECTION 3.  This Act does not make an appropriation.  Section
1-41     1 of this Act does not require the board of regents of the
1-42     University of Houston System to establish a business technology
1-43     outreach program unless money is specifically appropriated to fund
1-44     the program.
1-45           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-46           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-47     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-48     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-49     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-50     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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