By Dutton H.B. No. 3711 76R9217 T A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to creation of a sustainable building education program by 1-3 the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 2306, Subchapter K, Government Code is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 SECTION 2306.253. SUSTAINABLE BUILDING EDUCATION PROGRAM 1-8 (a) In this section sustainable building has the same definition 1-9 as in Subchapter BB, Section 2306.621, Government Code. 1-10 (b) The department shall develop a sustainable building 1-11 education designed to provide information and technical assistance 1-12 to prospective builders about sustainable building. 1-13 (c) The department shall develop the program in cooperation 1-14 with the General Land Office, Governors Office of Budget and 1-15 Planning State Grants Writing Team, Texas Health and Human Services 1-16 Commission, Texas Youthworks Program, General Services Commission, 1-17 Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Natural Resources 1-18 Conservation Commission, Texas State Energy Coordination Council, 1-19 Texas Recycling Development Board, Sustainable Building Coalition, 1-20 Texas Homeless Network, American Institute for Learning, National 1-21 Affordable Housing Network and other sustainable building 1-22 organizations. 1-23 (d) The department in cooperation with the agencies and 1-24 organizations mention in subsection (c), shall develop a strategic 2-1 education and outreach plan that outlines the mission, goals of the 2-2 program, strategies to achieve goals and timeframes for program 2-3 implementation and reporting. 2-4 (e) The department in cooperation with agencies and 2-5 organizations mention in subsection (c), shall develop a 2-6 Sustainable Building Resource Guide which will provide information 2-7 on: 2-8 (1) Sustainable Building techniques and resources; 2-9 (2) Materials and products for sustainable building; 2-10 (3) Grant and funding resources; and 2-11 (4) Names and addresses of organizations who could 2-12 provide additional resources. 2-13 (f) The department shall make use of existing resources and 2-14 information materials available from sources such as the United 2-15 States Department of Housing and Urban Development, United States 2-16 Environmental Protection Agency, Neighborhood Reinvestment 2-17 Corporation, Sustainable Building Coalition, General Land Office, 2-18 General Services Commission, Texas Natural Resource Conservation 2-19 Commission and other existing sustainable building organizations. 2-20 (f) In order to implement this section, the department may 2-21 use money from other entities by gift or grant under a contract. 2-22 (g) The department by December 1, 2000 shall draft and file 2-23 with the appropriate state agencies and legislative committees a 2-24 report discussing the results of the department's program, economic 2-25 and regulatory incentives and disincentives to sustainable building 2-26 and recommendations to be considered by the 77th Legislature." 2-27 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 3-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-5 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-6 passage, and it is so enacted.