By:  Brown, Jackson                                    S.B. No. 976
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the creation of a business technology outreach program
 1-2     at the University of Houston.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 111, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 111.42 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 111.42.  BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.  (a)  The
 1-7     board shall develop and establish a business technology outreach
 1-8     program to assist businesses in this state to make use of
 1-9     technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space
1-10     Administration.  The board shall work with the National Aeronautics
1-11     and Space Administration, appropriate businesses, and economic
1-12     development organizations in this state to carry out the program.
1-13           (b)  From money appropriated to or otherwise under the
1-14     control of the board, the board may award grants to economic
1-15     development organizations for use in recruiting appropriate
1-16     businesses for participation in the program and to provide other
1-17     appropriate assistance to program participants.
1-18           (c)  The board shall appoint an advisory board of technical
1-19     advisors to evaluate requests from economic development
1-20     organizations and businesses for assistance under the program and
1-21     advise the board on distribution of the assistance.
1-22           (d)  The board shall adopt rules to administer the program,
1-23     including rules relating to application and eligibility for grants.
1-24     The board may enter into agreements as necessary to carry out the
 2-1     program.
 2-2           SECTION 2.  Before September 1, 2000, the board of regents of
 2-3     the University of Houston System shall provide assistance under
 2-4     Section 111.42, Education Code, as added by this Act, only in a
 2-5     county with a population of more than 200,000 that contains, or is
 2-6     contiguous to a county that contains, a National Aeronautics and
 2-7     Space Administration facility.  On and after September 1, 2000, the
 2-8     board of regents may provide the assistance throughout the state.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  This Act does not make an appropriation.  Section
2-10     1 of this Act does not require the board of regents of the
2-11     University of Houston System to establish a business technology
2-12     outreach program unless money is specifically appropriated to fund
2-13     the program.
2-14           SECTION 4.  Except as provided by Section 5 of this Act, this
2-15     Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect only if a specific
2-17     appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in
2-18     H.B. No. 1 (General Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th
2-19     Legislature, Regular Session, 1999.  If no specific appropriation
2-20     is provided in H.B. No. 1, the General Appropriations Act, this Act
2-21     has no effect.
2-22           SECTION 6.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.