By: Ellis S.B. No. 1579 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) futhering 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 System; 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 3-17 a 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.