Amend CSSB 275 (House committee printing) as follows:
(1) In SECTION 1.10 of the bill, in added Section 481.0066, Government Code (page 7, line 9), between "strategies" and "to
promote" insert "as part of an industry-specific strategic plan".
(2) In SECTION 1.10 of the bill, in added Section 481.0066,
Government Code (page 7, line 10), between "state" and the
semicolon insert "that is consistent with and complementary of the
office strategic plan".
(3) In SECTION 1.10 of the bill, in added Section 481.0066,
Government Code (page 7, line 16), strike "and".
(4) In SECTION 1.10 of the bill, in added Section 481.0066,
Government Code (page 7, line 19), between "matters" and the period
insert the following:
"; and
(7) be responsible for the promotion and development
of spaceports in this state".
(5) In SECTION 1.10 of the bill, in added Section 481.0066,
Government Code (page 7, between lines 19 and 20), insert the
following:
(e) The governor shall appoint an aerospace and aviation
advisory committee consisting of seven qualified members to assist
in the state's economic development efforts to recruit and retain
aerospace and aviation jobs and investment. The committee shall
advise the governor on the recruitment and retention of aerospace
and aviation jobs and investment. Members of the committee may not
receive compensation for serving on the committee.
(6) Insert the following appropriately numbered SECTION
between existing SECTIONS 1.11 and 1.12 (page 8, between lines 17
and 18) and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ___. Subchapter A, Chapter 481, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 481.0069 to read as follows:
Sec. 481.0069. SPACEPORT TRUST FUND. (a) In this section:
(1) "Reusable launch vehicle" means a vehicle intended
for repeated use that:
(A) is built to operate in or place a payload into
space; or
(B) is a suborbital rocket.
(2) "Spaceport" has the meaning assigned by Section
4D(a), Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6,
Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by Chapter 1537, Acts of
the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999.
(b) The spaceport trust fund is created as a trust fund
outside the treasury with the comptroller and shall be administered
by the office under this section and rules adopted by the office.
(c) The spaceport trust fund consists of money from:
(1) gifts, grants, or donations to the office for the
development of spaceport infrastructure; and
(2) any other source designated by the legislature.
(d) Money in the trust fund may not be spent unless the
office certifies to the comptroller that:
(1) a viable business entity has been established
that:
(A) has a business plan that demonstrates that
the entity has available the financial, managerial, and technical
expertise and capability necessary to launch and land a reusable
launch vehicle; and
(B) has committed to locating its facilities at a
spaceport in this state;
(2) a development corporation for spaceport
facilities created under Section 4D, Development Corporation Act of
1979 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by
Chapter 1537, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
has established a development plan for the spaceport project and
has secured at least 90 percent of the funding required for the
project; and
(3) the spaceport or launch operator has obtained the
appropriate Federal Aviation Administration license.
(e) Money in the spaceport trust fund may be used only to pay
expenditures for the development of infrastructure necessary or
useful for establishing a spaceport. The office may contract with a
development corporation for spaceport facilities for the
infrastructure development.
(f) The office may invest, reinvest, and direct the
investment of any available money in the spaceport trust fund.
Money in the fund may be invested in the manner that state funds may
be invested under Section 404.024.
(7) In SECTION 1.17 of the bill, in amended Section 481.021,
Government Code (page 13, line 2), between "(3)" and "accept"
insert "solicit and".
(8) Insert the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS
between existing SECTIONS 1.62 and 1.63 (page 47, between lines 7
and 8) and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ___. The heading to Section 502.271, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 502.271. TEXAS AEROSPACE AND AVIATION [COMMISSION]
LICENSE PLATES.
SECTION ___. Sections 502.271(a), (b), and (d),
Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The department shall issue specially designed Texas
Aerospace and Aviation [Commission] license plates for passenger
cars and light trucks.
(b) The license plates must include the name "Texas
Aerospace and Aviation [Commission]" and be of a color, quality,
and design approved by the Texas Economic Development and Tourism
Office [Aerospace Commission].
(d) Of each fee collected under this section, the department
shall deposit $25 under this section in [to the credit of] the
general revenue fund to the credit of the Texas Economic
Development and Tourism Office account, which may be used only to
support the activities of the aerospace and aviation office
established by the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office,
and $5 to the credit of the state highway fund.
(9) In SECTION 1.68 of the bill (page 49, line 15), strike
"and".
(10) In SECTION 1.68 of the bill (page 49, line 18), between
"Tourism Office" and the period, insert the following:
; and
(3) all funds appropriated by the legislature to the
Texas Aerospace Commission, including any funds appropriated to the
Texas Aerospace Commission collected under Section 502.271,
Transportation Code, are transferred to the Texas Economic
Development and Tourism Office account