BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1758
88R3400 KSD-D	By: Schwertner
	Subcommittee on Higher Education
	4/4/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

During the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) was authorized to transfer certain land in Bastrop County to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System for a science park and research facilities. H.B. 800, 60th Legislature, passed in response to the receipt of grant funding and allowed for the development of the Virginia Harris Cockrell Cancer Research Center. 

S.B. 1758 would allow for the unused land to be returned to TPWD for public use by county residents and visitors, and the developed property use to better align with the system's overall mission for the property�educational, research, training, and public safety initiatives. It would amend the authorizing session law to allow The University of Texas System to use the property for mission purposes including, but not limited to, research. The revision would expand the opportunities the system can foster on the property and generate greater economic activity for the city of Smithville and Bastrop County at large. 

As proposed, S.B. 1758 amends current law relating to the use of certain land by The University of Texas System.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Chapter 70 (H.B. 800), Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, as follows:

Sec. 1. Provides that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is hereby authorized to convey or transfer and the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System is hereby authorized to accept for and on behalf of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute any part or all of that certain described land in Bastrop County, Texas, conveyed to TPWD by the City of Smithville, Texas, and Mrs. Elizabeth Buescher, et al, by deeds dated April 30, 1936, and September 15, 1933, respectively, and which are recorded in Volume 97, page 40, and Volume 96, pages 595-6, of the Deed Records of Bastrop County, Texas, to which deeds and the record thereof reference is made for all purposes, said land to be used by The University of Texas System for any purpose consistent with the mission of the system or a component institution of the system, rather than as a science park and for research purposes.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.