By: Bonnen (Senate Sponsor - Janek) H.B. No. 1493
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2007;
  May 14, 2007, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on
  Higher Education; May 18, 2007, reported favorably from Committee
  on Education by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 2007,
  sent to printer.)
 
 
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;
               (5)  Texas A&M University at Galveston;
               (6)  Texas Southern University;
               (7)  The University of Texas at Brownsville;
               (8)  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;
               (9)  engineering and construction firms associated
  with public works contracts; and
               (10)  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.
 
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