By Oliveira                                            H.B. No. 323
         77R1537 JSA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing a center for border economic and
 1-3     enterprise development at The University of Texas at Brownsville.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 78, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 78.09 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 78.09.  CENTER FOR BORDER ECONOMIC AND ENTERPRISE
 1-8     DEVELOPMENT. (a) The board shall establish a center for border
 1-9     economic and enterprise development at The University of Texas at
1-10     Brownsville.
1-11           (b)  The center established under this section may:
1-12                 (1)  develop and manage an economic database concerning
1-13     the Texas-Mexico border;
1-14                 (2)  perform economic development planning and
1-15     research;
1-16                 (3)  provide technical assistance to industrial and
1-17     governmental entities; and
1-18                 (4)  in cooperation with other state agencies,
1-19     coordinate economic and enterprise development planning activities
1-20     of state agencies to ensure that the economic needs of the
1-21     Texas-Mexico border are integrated within a comprehensive state
1-22     economic development plan.
1-23           (c)  The center may offer seminars and conduct conferences
1-24     and other educational programs concerning the Texas-Mexico border
 2-1     economy and economic and enterprise development within the state.
 2-2           (d)  The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
 2-3     donations to aid in the establishment, maintenance, and operation
 2-4     of the center.
 2-5           (e)  The center established under this section shall
 2-6     cooperate fully with similar programs operated by Texas A&M
 2-7     International University, The University of Texas--Pan American,
 2-8     The University of Texas at El Paso, and other institutions of
 2-9     higher education.
2-10           SECTION 2.  Section 69.22(e), Education Code, is amended to
2-11     read as follows:
2-12           (e)  The center established under this section shall
2-13     cooperate fully with similar programs operated by Texas A&M
2-14     International University, The University of Texas--Pan American,
2-15     The University of Texas at Brownsville, and other institutions of
2-16     higher education.
2-17           SECTION 3.  Section 77.36(e), Education Code, is amended to
2-18     read as follows:
2-19           (e)  The center established under this section shall
2-20     cooperate fully with similar programs operated by The University of
2-21     Texas at El Paso, Texas A&M International University, The
2-22     University of Texas at Brownsville, and other institutions of
2-23     higher education.
2-24           SECTION 4.  Section 87.504(e), Education Code, is amended to
2-25     read as follows:
2-26           (e)  The center established under this section shall
2-27     cooperate fully with similar programs operated by The University of
 3-1     Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas--Pan American  [Pan
 3-2     American University], The University of Texas at Brownsville, and
 3-3     other institutions of higher education.
 3-4           SECTION 5.  The board of regents of The University of Texas
 3-5     System shall establish a center for border economic and enterprise
 3-6     development at The University of Texas at Brownsville under Section
 3-7     78.09, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January
 3-8     1, 2002.
 3-9           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-10     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-11     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
3-12     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-13     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.