By: Ellis S.C.R. No. 9 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, In September, 1996, recognizing the increasing 1-2 importance of science and technology businesses in generating much 1-3 of the nation's economic growth and job creation, Governor George 1-4 W. Bush established the Texas Science and Technology Council to 1-5 review the state's science and technology industries, identify 1-6 factors critical to their growth, and develop a long-term plan to 1-7 encourage science and technology development in Texas; and 1-8 WHEREAS, The impact of science and technology on our economy 1-9 cannot be underestimated; while advancements in these fields have 1-10 helped create new industries in the state, from computer 1-11 manufacturing and software development to information services, 1-12 biotechnology, and aerospace, many of the state's traditional 1-13 industries, including the agriculture, chemicals, and petroleum 1-14 industries, also have become heavily dependent on new technologies 1-15 to boost and improve production; and 1-16 WHEREAS, These developments have allowed Texas' 1-17 technology-related industries to grow at about twice the rate of 1-18 the state's economy as a whole and made Texas the nation's leading 1-19 employer of high technology workers and the second largest employer 1-20 in the computer, microelectronics, and telecommunications 1-21 industries, with an economic impact spread out across the state, 1-22 from Lubbock and El Paso to the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, 1-23 and San Antonio metropolitan areas; and 1-24 WHEREAS, While numerous public and private sector 2-1 organizations, task forces, and panels in Texas have promoted 2-2 science and technology development over the past decades, their 2-3 valuable efforts have been short-lived, and none has developed into 2-4 a long-term, sustainable organization capable of providing constant 2-5 leadership, advice, and direction for the legislature in particular 2-6 and for the state's economic development as a whole; and 2-7 WHEREAS, To fill this need for continuity, the Texas Science 2-8 and Technology Council has recommended the establishment of a 2-9 permanent, private sector driven, privately funded Texas Institute 2-10 of Science and Technology to provide this leadership, advice, and 2-11 direction and to identify, support, and promote science and 2-12 technology-based opportunities for Texas; and 2-13 WHEREAS, Envisioned by the Texas Science and Technology 2-14 Council as a nonprofit corporation with strong ties to industry, 2-15 government, and the education community, the proposed institute 2-16 would be a vital public-private collaborative effort receiving 2-17 input from the state's key technology industry sectors and economic 2-18 subregions to develop statewide technology initiatives addressing 2-19 every stage of the technology life cycle, from research to 2-20 commercialization, for the benefit of all Texans; now, therefore, 2-21 be it 2-22 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-23 hereby endorse the establishment of the Texas Institute of Science 2-24 and Technology as an appropriate vehicle for providing leadership 2-25 in the identification and promotion of science and technology-based 2-26 economic opportunities for the state; and, be it further 3-1 RESOLVED, That the legislature grant this endorsement with 3-2 the understanding that the institute will be wholly privately 3-3 funded and will not require the allocation of state resources or 3-4 assets such as facilities or infrastructure, except that the Texas 3-5 Higher Education Coordinating Board is hereby authorized to work 3-6 with the private sector participants in the institute's 3-7 establishment.