By Hochberg H.B. No. 3309
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the development, funding, and operation of the
1-3 Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Chapter 488 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 488. SOUTHEAST TEXAS BIOTECHNOLOGY PARK
1-8 Sec. 488.001. COALITION ESTABLISHMENT. The Southeast Texas
1-9 Biotechnology Park Coalition is established. The coalition is
1-10 composed of public and private health-related institutions, and
1-11 other private nonprofit and governmental institutions, and is
1-12 established for the purpose of developing, funding, and operating a
1-13 biotechnology research and development park to be known as the
1-14 Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park.
1-15 Sec. 488.002. PURPOSE; LOCATION. (a) The park shall be
1-16 operated for the purposes of:
1-17 (1) furthering the mission of the coalition members;
1-18 (2) economic development of the state, including the
1-19 production of net revenue to the state and coalition members, from
1-20 the commercialization of biotechnology research;
1-21 (3) recruiting and retaining leading scientists and
1-22 established biotechnology enterprises; and
1-23 (4) supporting the growth and development of new
2-1 biotechnology enterprises.
2-2 (b) The park shall be located in the area of Houston, Texas,
2-3 known as the Texas Medical Center.
2-4 Sec. 488.003. COALITION MEMBERS. The membership of the
2-5 coalition may include any interested governmental or private
2-6 nonprofit institution, including:
2-7 (1) Baylor College of Medicine;
2-8 (2) Johnson Space Center of the National Aeronautics
2-9 and Space Administration;
2-10 (3) Memorial Hermann Health Care System;
2-11 (4) Rice University;
2-12 (5) St. Luke's Episcopal Health System/Texas Heart
2-13 Institute;
2-14 (6) Texas Southern University;
2-15 (7) TIRR Systems;
2-16 (8) University of Houston System;
2-17 (9) University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center;
2-18 (10) University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston;
2-19 and
2-20 (11) University of Texas Health Science Center at
2-21 Houston.
2-22 Sec. 488.004. NONPROFIT CORPORATION. The coalition may
2-23 establish a nonprofit corporation to develop and operate the park.
2-24 Sec. 488.005. LAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE. The park may be
2-25 developed on land owned by the State of Texas and made available
2-26 for that purpose, as well as on land acquired by the state, the
3-1 nonprofit corporation, or a member institution for purposes of the
3-2 park.
3-3 Sec. 488.006. INVESTMENT; FUNDING. (a) The park shall be
3-4 developed as a public-private partnership in which both public
3-5 institutions and private entities contribute to the development,
3-6 funding, and operation of the park.
3-7 (b) The state may appropriate funds for purposes of
3-8 developing the infrastructure of the park, including roads,
3-9 drainage improvements, utilities, and landscaping. Funds
3-10 appropriated to a state agency for that purpose may be identified
3-11 as a trusteed program and shall be accounted for separately from
3-12 other appropriations to the agency.
3-13 (c) Leases producing revenue to state institutions
3-14 participating in the development of the park shall be at market
3-15 rates.
3-16 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a
3-17 vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-18 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-19 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-20 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
3-21 legislative session.