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.