1-1     By:  Brown, Jackson                                    S.B. No. 976
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 1999; March 9, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
 1-4     April 28, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 28, 1999,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 976                   By:  Fraser
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the creation of a business technology outreach program
1-11     at the University of Houston.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 111, Education Code, is
1-14     amended by adding Section 111.42 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 111.42.  BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.  (a)  The
1-16     board shall develop and establish a business technology outreach
1-17     program to assist businesses in this state to make use of
1-18     technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space
1-19     Administration.  The board shall work with the National Aeronautics
1-20     and Space Administration, appropriate businesses, and economic
1-21     development organizations in this state to carry out the program.
1-22           (b)  From money appropriated to or otherwise under the
1-23     control of the board, the board may award grants to economic
1-24     development organizations for use in recruiting appropriate
1-25     businesses for participation in the program and to provide other
1-26     appropriate assistance to program participants.
1-27           (c)  The board shall appoint an advisory board of technical
1-28     advisors to evaluate requests from economic development
1-29     organizations and businesses for assistance under the program and
1-30     advise the board on distribution of the assistance.
1-31           (d)  The board shall adopt rules to administer the program,
1-32     including rules relating to application and eligibility for grants.
1-33     The board may enter into agreements as necessary to carry out the
1-34     program.
1-35           SECTION 2.  Before September 1, 2000, the board of regents of
1-36     the University of Houston System shall provide assistance under
1-37     Section 111.42, Education Code, as added by this Act, only in a
1-38     county with a population of more than 200,000 that contains, or is
1-39     contiguous to a county that contains, a National Aeronautics and
1-40     Space Administration facility.  On and after September 1, 2000, the
1-41     board of regents may provide the assistance throughout the state.
1-42           SECTION 3.  This Act does not make an appropriation.  Section
1-43     1 of this Act does not require the board of regents of the
1-44     University of Houston System to establish a business technology
1-45     outreach program unless money is specifically appropriated to fund
1-46     the program.
1-47           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-48           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-49     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-50     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-51     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-52     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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