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. 1-51 * * * * *