BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1924

By: Schwertner

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties observe that the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) is subject to the Texas Sunset Act and have expressed a need for CPRIT to begin planning for the transition from a fully state-funded entity to a financially self-sufficient entity. S.B. 1924 seeks to address this need by requiring CPRIT to develop a plan that specifies how it will become financially self-sufficient.

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. 1924 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to develop a detailed plan for CPRIT to become financially self‑sufficient and to continue operations without state funds other than patent royalties and license revenues realized as a result of projects undertaken with money awarded under the cancer prevention and research fund. The bill requires the plan to specify the steps CPRIT will take to accomplish the transition to financial self-sufficiency after issuance of the $3 billion in general obligation bonds authorized by the Texas Constitution, specify sources of funding other than state money that may be used to operate CPRIT after issuance of those bonds, and describe CPRIT's method for structuring each state-funded grant to ensure that a grant recipient completes any contractual obligation for which the grant was awarded after all of the $3 billion in authorized bonds has been awarded to reimburse grant recipients for allowable expenditures pursuant to CPRIT's grant contract terms. The bill requires CPRIT to submit the plan to the legislature not later than December 1, 2018, and to submit any modification to the plan before December 1 of each subsequent year. The bill's provisions expire September 1, 2023.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.