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By: Keffer of Eastland H.B. No. 1747
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of and funding for the Texas
Entrepreneurship Network.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 490 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 490. TEXAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK
Sec. 490.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Fund" means the Texas Entrepreneurship Network
fund.
(2) "Network" means the Texas Entrepreneurship
Network.
(3) "Entrepreneur" means an individual who has a
business or an idea for a business, who registers with the Network.
Sec. 490.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF NETWORK. (a) The Texas
Entrepreneurship Network is established to develop and diversify
the economy of this state through:
(1) the provision of programs and services to
facilitate the growth and success of entrepreneurs; and
(2) The statewide, results-driven collaboration of
public and private entities to create jobs and energize sustainable
local economies through the development of entrepreneurs in this
state.
(b) The Office of Rural Community Affairs shall administer
the Fund.
(c) By agreement with the Office of Rural Community Affairs,
the Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship will create and operate
the Network according to the provisions of this Act taking into
consideration all reasonable and customary oversight measures
required by the Office of Rural Community Affairs.
(d) The Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship shall
establish an advisory board to guide and advise the operations of
the Network. The advisory board shall have representation from
each of the founding members of the network listed in Section
490.003(a), and at least one member from the private sector. The
initial board shall adopt provisions to define board member term,
term staggering, and other provisions necessary to administer the
board. The members of the board shall participate without
compensation other than reimbursement for reasonable and customary
travel expenses for meetings related to the Network.
Sec. 490.003. MEMBERS OF NETWORK. (a) The founding members
of the network are:
(1) the Texas Cooperative Extension of the Texas A&M
University System;
(2) the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at
Austin;
(3) the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural
Resources at Texas Tech University;
(4) the Texas Department of Agriculture;
(5) the Texas Workforce Commission;
(6) the Office of Rural Community Affairs;
(7) the Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship; and
(8) the Texas Economic Development Council.
(b) An institution of higher education, chamber of
commerce, economic development corporation, business, or
organization with an interest in promoting entrepreneurship may
join the network. Organizations other than the founding members
specified in Section 490.003(a) do not automatically have seats on
the advisory board. Additional seats may be created on the board
only by a 2/3 majority vote of the board.
Sec. 490.004. GENERAL DUTIES AND GOALS. (a) The network
shall train and refocus existing State and local resources to build
a more prosperous, dynamic, and sustainable economy throughout this
state by:
(1) Providing coordinated training and services that
enhance the value of the State's existing infrastructure
investments and make them more available to entrepreneurs;
(2) developing a statewide network of
entrepreneurship developers and entrepreneurship centers to
organize and to support entrepreneur associations;
(3) developing a comprehensive network of knowledge,
leadership, and financial capital resources accessible through the
Network's entrepreneurship developers and entrepreneurship
centers;
(4) educating entrepreneurs and generating awareness
of the network and its programs;
(5) identifying the most promising ventures through
activities, including business-plan competitions, and assisting
the ventures' potential for job and wealth creation;
(6) developing evaluation methods to measure the
effectiveness of the network and impact of entrepreneurship on
local and regional economies;
(7) developing best practices for successful
entrepreneurship and applied research regarding critical success
factors for entrepreneurial businesses to provide a strategic
competitive advantage for businesses in this state;
(8) collaborating with existing local, state, and
federal agencies and economic development professionals to use the
strengths and assets of the agencies and professionals.
(b) The network shall work locally, regionally, and
statewide with educators, agencies, organizations, networks,
businesses, economic developers, consultants, communities,
researchers, or other persons to develop and support strategies to
assist entrepreneurs and improve the environment for
entrepreneurial development in this state.
Sec. 490.005. ENTREPRENEURSHIP SERVICES. (a) The network
shall develop a statewide association of local individuals who are
entrepreneurship developers trained to analyze, evaluate, and
develop business plans and help local entrepreneurs start, grow, or
develop their businesses.
(b) The network may establish local entrepreneurship
centers in every county practicable at which entrepreneurs may
access necessary support and online resources and programs
developed and provided by the network. In establishing the
entrepreneurship centers, the network shall use existing
infrastructure, public and private organizations, and other
resources, including chambers of commerce, universities and
community colleges, County Extension offices, Texas Workforce
Commission offices, and local business offices.
(c) The network shall adopt requirements for
entrepreneurship centers. An organization must meet the
requirements adopted under this subsection before hosting an
entrepreneurship center.
(d) A group of individuals who have services, resources, or
expertise to offer entrepreneurs may agree to provide services
through the network as part of an entrepreneurship force.
Sec. 490.006. NETWORK PROGRAMS. The network may develop:
(1) Programs for:
(A) business plan development, competitive
enhancement, and management skills development;
(B) entrepreneurship best practices training;
(C) entrepreneurship education in primary and
secondary schools and community colleges;
(D) expanding entrepreneurship in workforce
development programs;
(E) accessing sources of start-up and growth
capital; and
(F) training and assisting entrepreneurship
agents who facilitate and assist entrepreneurial efforts; and
(G) community readiness preparation and
evaluation, and community planning.
(2) methods for helping entrepreneurs access other
loan, guarantee, and grant programs;
(3) necessary policies and regulations; and
(4) collaborations with other entities.
Sec. 490.007. TEXAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK FUND. (a)
The Texas Entrepreneurship Network Fund is an account in the
general revenue fund.
(b) The following amounts shall be deposited in the fund:
(1) any amounts appropriated by the legislature for
the fund; and
(2) gifts, grants, and other donations received for
the fund.
(c) The fund may be used only for network purposes, subject
to Section 490.008.
(d) The network may solicit and accept gifts and grants for
the fund from public and private universities and all other public
and private entities.
Sec. 490.008. USE OF FUND. (a) Money appropriated to the
fund by the legislature shall be used for:
(1) programs related to local entrepreneurship
centers, training, and entrepreneurship developers;
(2) curriculum development, infrastructure, data
management, and research; and
(3) technology and economic development research
centers of excellence;
(4) the network's overhead expenses; and
(5) other activities necessary to accomplish the
mission of this chapter.
(b) The amount of money appropriated to the fund by the
legislature that remains after being used as provided by Subsection
(a) shall be distributed as enhanced funding for existing
entrepreneurship programs of the universities affiliated with an
entity included as a network member under Section 490.003(a).
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.