BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 458

By: Lucio

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have expressed an interest in continuing and expanding the work of the aerospace and aviation office of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, including efforts to increase investment in aerospace and aviation activities. S.B. 458 seeks to amend the applicable law relating to the duties of the office.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 458 amends the Government Code to expand the duties of the aerospace and aviation office of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office (TEDTO) to include, as part of the required industry-specific strategic plan to promote the retention, development, and expansion of aerospace and aviation industry facilities in Texas, the development of policy initiatives or recommendations on reforms the state may undertake or implement to increase investment in aerospace and aviation activities; to support the retention, development, and expansion of spaceports in Texas; to identify and encourage educational, economic, and defense-related opportunities for aerospace and aviation activities; to determine the appropriate level of funding for the spaceport trust fund and support ongoing projects that have been assisted by the fund; to partner with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to foster technological advancement and economic development for spaceport activities by strengthening higher education programs and supporting aerospace activities; and to partner with the Texas Workforce Commission to support initiatives that address the high-technology skills and staff resources needed to better promote the state's efforts in becoming the leading space exploration state in the nation.

S.B. 458 requires the aerospace and aviation office to make specific short-term and long-term statutory, administrative, and budget-related recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding those policy initiatives and reforms. The bill requires the short-term recommendations to include a plan for state action for implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2017, and requires the plan's initiatives and reforms to be fully implemented by September 1, 2020. The bill requires the long-term recommendations to include a plan for state action for implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2020, and requires the plan's initiatives and reforms to be fully implemented by September 1, 2025. The bill requires the aerospace and aviation office to submit these recommendations to the legislature and governor with the biennial report required by the bill not later than December 1, 2016. These provisions regarding the recommendations expire September 1, 2017.

S.B. 458 requires the aerospace and aviation office, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit to the legislature and governor, in printed or electronic form, a report detailing the actions taken by the office in carrying out the policy initiatives and reforms to further the purposes of the industry-specific strategic plan as specified in the office's recommendations.  

S.B. 458 adds to the membership of the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee appointed by the governor one member for each active spaceport development corporation in Texas who represents the interests of each respective spaceport development corporation. The bill expands the committee's duties to include assisting TEDTO and the aerospace and aviation office in meeting the state's economic development efforts to recruit and retain aerospace and aviation jobs and investment; advising those offices and the governor on an appropriate funding level for the spaceport trust fund and on recruitment, retention, and expansion of aerospace and aviation industry activities; and collecting and disseminating information on federal, state, local, and private community economic development programs that assist or provide loans, grants, or other funding to aerospace and aviation industry activities. The bill requires members of the advisory committee to serve staggered four-year terms and provides for the expiration of the terms of the current members on the bill's effective date. The bill requires the governor, on that date or as soon as possible after that date, to appoint new members to the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee in accordance with the membership requirements established by the bill. The bill makes a member of the advisory committee serving immediately before the bill's effective date eligible for reappointment to the committee if the person is qualified under the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.