80R5133 TAD-D
 
  By: Bonnen H.B. No. 1493
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment and operation of a severe storm
research and planning center.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 155 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 155. SEVERE STORM RESEARCH AND PLANNING CENTER
       Sec. 155.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
             (1)  "Center" means the severe storm research and
planning center.
             (2)  "Commission" means the regional planning
commission, council of governments, or similar regional planning
agency created under Chapter 391, Local Government Code, whose
membership includes the most populous county that borders on the
Gulf of Mexico or on a bay or inlet of the Gulf of Mexico.
       Sec. 155.002.  ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The commission shall
create a severe storm research and planning center to facilitate
research and develop plans, programs, and technology associated
with the impact of and response to hurricanes and other severe
storms in the Gulf Coast Region and adjacent areas, including:
             (1)  the development of real-time storm surge
forecasting ability for hurricanes and other severe storms;
             (2)  the development of radar-based rainfall and flood
warning systems for urban and coastal areas;
             (3)  the development of public education programs
relating to compliance with government-initiated evacuation
orders;
             (4)  the assessment of infrastructure risks; and
             (5)  the development of evacuation plans.
       Sec. 155.003.  ADMINISTRATION. (a) The commission shall
administer the center.
       (b)  The commission shall appoint an advisory committee to
advise the commission regarding the development of priorities,
guidelines, and procedures for the implementation of this chapter.
The advisory committee must include representatives of:
             (1)  Rice University;
             (2)  the University of Houston;
             (3)  The University of Texas at Austin;
             (4)  Texas A&M University at Galveston;
             (5)  Texas Southern University;
             (6)  The University of Texas at Brownsville;
             (7)  regional planning commissions, councils of
governments, or similar regional planning agencies created under
Chapter 391, Local Government Code, whose membership includes a
municipality or county located in the Gulf Coast Region;
             (8)  engineering and construction firms associated
with public works contracts; and
             (9)  the medical profession in a major urban area
located in the Gulf Coast Region.
       (c)  The commission and advisory committee may cooperate,
coordinate, and share information with a governmental entity or
postsecondary educational institution in another state that
borders the Gulf of Mexico.
       (d)  The commission, in consultation with the advisory
committee, shall adopt guidelines and procedures for the
administration of this chapter.
       Sec. 155.004.  CONTRACT. To the extent funding is available
and for the purpose of operating, managing, and providing services
or facilities for the center, the commission shall contract with a
private postsecondary educational institution that:
             (1)  is a member of the Association of American
Universities;
             (2)  has an enrollment of at least 3,000 students; and
             (3)  is located in a municipality in the Gulf Coast
Region with a population of 1.8 million or more.
       Sec. 155.005.  FUNDING. (a) The commission may receive
state-appropriated funds for the purpose of supporting the
activities of the center.
       (b)  The commission may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
donations for purposes of this chapter.
       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2007.