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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment and administration of the Texas |
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Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium and the Texas Space |
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Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter V-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER V-1. TEXAS AEROSPACE RESEARCH AND SPACE ECONOMY |
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CONSORTIUM |
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Sec. 61.921. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Consortium" means the Texas Aerospace Research |
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and Space Economy Consortium. |
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(2) "Executive committee" means the executive |
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committee of the consortium. |
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Sec. 61.922. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The Texas Aerospace |
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Research and Space Economy Consortium is established to: |
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(1) identify research opportunities for entities |
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within this state that: |
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(A) strengthen this state's proven leadership in |
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civil, commercial, and military aerospace activity; |
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(B) enhance this state's position in aeronautics |
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research and development, astronautics, space commercialization, |
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and space flight infrastructure; and |
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(C) enhance the integration of the space, |
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aeronautics, astronautics, and aviation industries into this |
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state's economy; and |
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(2) provide funding and research recommendations to |
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the Texas Space Commission established under Section 481.552, |
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Government Code. |
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Sec. 61.923. CONSORTIUM COMPOSITION. The consortium is |
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composed of: |
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(1) each institution of higher education; and |
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(2) any other entity that the executive committee |
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considers necessary. |
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Sec. 61.924. ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT. (a) The |
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consortium is administratively attached to the board for the |
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purpose of receiving and administering appropriations and other |
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funds under this subchapter. The board is not responsible for |
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providing to the consortium staff, human resources, contract |
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monitoring, purchasing, or any other administrative support |
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services. |
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(b) The board may not use funds intended to carry out the |
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purposes of this subchapter for any costs incurred by the board |
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under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.925. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COMPOSITION. (a) The |
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consortium is governed by an independent executive committee |
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composed of the following nine members: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives; |
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(4) the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System |
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or the chancellor's designee; |
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(5) the chancellor of The University of Texas System |
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or the chancellor's designee; and |
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(6) the president of Rice University or the |
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president's designee. |
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(b) In making appointments under Subsection (a), the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, respectively, shall: |
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(1) prioritize appointing individuals with experience |
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in: |
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(A) aeronautics; |
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(B) space economic development; and |
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(C) academic engagement with the space economy; |
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and |
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(2) ensure that the appointments reflect, to the |
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extent possible, the ethnic and geographic diversity of this state. |
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(c) A vacancy on the executive committee is filled in the |
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same manner as the initial appointment. |
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(d) The executive committee shall: |
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(1) elect a presiding officer from among the members |
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of the committee; and |
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(2) meet at the call of the presiding officer. |
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Sec. 61.926. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The executive |
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committee may solicit and accept on behalf of the consortium gifts, |
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grants, or donations from any public or private source for the |
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purpose of carrying out this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.927. GENERAL DUTIES. (a) The executive committee |
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shall: |
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(1) develop and execute a comprehensive statewide |
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strategic plan to further the purposes of the consortium; |
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(2) gather and coordinate recommendations from |
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consortium members on funding and research opportunities in |
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accordance with the purposes of the consortium; and |
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(3) establish procedures and policies for the |
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administration of the consortium, including: |
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(A) procedures for documenting compliance by |
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members of the committee and consortium and consortium staff with |
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applicable laws governing conflicts of interest; |
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(B) designation of a member of the committee as |
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the committee's liaison to the Texas Space Commission established |
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under Section 481.552, Government Code; and |
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(C) procedures for entering into contracts with |
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The Texas A&M University System as necessary for that system to |
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provide administrative and staff support to the consortium. |
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(b) A member of the consortium under Section 61.923 may |
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participate in consortium fact-finding, strategic planning, and |
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the formation of recommendations for purposes of Subsections (a)(1) |
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and (a)(2). Before assisting the executive committee as provided |
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by this subsection, a member of the consortium must designate a |
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liaison to the executive committee to represent that member. |
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Sec. 61.928. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than December 31 of |
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each even-numbered year, the executive committee shall submit to |
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the Texas Space Commission established under Section 481.552, |
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Government Code, a written report that includes for that biennium: |
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(1) the activities and objectives of the consortium; |
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(2) a synopsis of the funding and research |
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opportunities identified by the consortium under Section |
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61.927(a); |
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(3) legislative recommendations, if any; |
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(4) prospective grants or funding the consortium |
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members expect to receive, if any; and |
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(5) research accomplishments associated with the |
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consortium, if any. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter FF to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER FF. TEXAS SPACE COMMISSION |
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Sec. 481.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the board of directors of the |
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commission. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Texas Space Commission. |
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(3) "Fund" means the Space Exploration and Aeronautics |
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Research Fund. |
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(4) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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Sec. 481.552. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Space |
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Commission is established to strengthen this state's proven |
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leadership in civil, commercial, and military aerospace activity. |
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(b) The purpose of the commission is to promote innovation |
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in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace |
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opportunities, including the integration of space, aeronautics, |
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and aviation industries into the economy of this state. |
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Sec. 481.553. BOARD OF DIRECTORS; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. (a) |
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The commission is governed by a nine-member board of directors. The |
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board is composed of: |
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(1) three members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor; and |
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(3) three members appointed by the governor from a |
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list of names submitted by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives. |
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(b) In making appointments or selecting persons for |
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inclusion on the list submitted to the governor under Subsection |
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(a), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall prioritize appointing or selecting, as |
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applicable, individuals with experience in: |
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(1) commercial aerospace; |
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(2) civil aviation; |
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(3) military aerospace; |
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(4) space economic development; |
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(5) space-related academic research; and |
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(6) nonprofit support of the space economy. |
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(c) Members of the board serve two-year terms and may be |
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reappointed for additional terms. |
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(d) A vacancy on the board is filled in the same manner as |
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the initial appointment. |
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(e) The board shall: |
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(1) elect a presiding officer from among the members |
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of the board; |
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(2) appoint an executive director of the commission |
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and determine the title, functions, duties, powers, and salary of |
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the executive director; and |
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(3) adopt rules as necessary to implement the duties |
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of the commission under this subchapter. |
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(f) The executive director of the commission may hire staff |
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as necessary to implement the duties of the commission under this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 481.554. ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT. (a) The |
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commission is administratively attached to the office of the |
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governor. |
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(b) The office of the governor shall provide the commission |
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staff and facilities as necessary to assist the commission in |
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performing the commission's duties under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 481.555. AUTHORITY. The commission may, as necessary |
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to perform the commission's duties under this subchapter: |
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(1) execute contracts and other documents, including |
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by authorizing one or more members of the commission to execute |
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contracts and other documents on behalf of the commission; |
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(2) conduct proceedings and other activities; |
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(3) establish and create boards, committees, or other |
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entities, which may include an advisory board composed of |
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representatives of military, federal government, and private |
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aeronautic entities, and delegate authority or duties to those |
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entities; |
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(4) provide financial services to support |
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aerospace-related development within this state, including by: |
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(A) capitalizing, underwriting, leasing, |
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selling, or securing funding for aerospace-related infrastructure; |
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and |
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(B) acquiring, accepting, or administering |
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grants and contracts to perform activities consistent with the |
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commission's purpose; |
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(5) execute intergovernmental agreements and |
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development agreements consistent with existing law, including |
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with institutions of higher education and nonprofit entities; and |
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(6) engage in the planning and implementation of |
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aerospace-related educational opportunities within this state in |
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coordination with the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy |
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Consortium established under Section 61.922, Education Code. |
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Sec. 481.556. STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) The commission shall |
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develop and annually update a strategic plan for the promotion of |
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space, aeronautics, and aviation economic development in this |
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state. |
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(b) The strategic plan must include a list of potential |
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projects that further the purpose of the commission, and, for each |
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project: |
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(1) the estimated total cost for completion, including |
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a potential state matching cost; and |
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(2) an assessment of the availability of external |
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funding sources. |
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(c) The strategic plan may include any other information the |
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commission determines is relevant to furthering the purpose of the |
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commission. |
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(d) The board shall submit the strategic plan to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives not later than December 31 of each year. |
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Sec. 481.557. SPACE EXPLORATION AND AERONAUTICS RESEARCH |
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FUND; GRANTS. (a) The commission shall establish the Space |
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Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund to provide grants to |
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eligible entities as provided by this section. |
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(b) The fund is a trust fund outside the treasury with the |
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comptroller and administered by the commission. |
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(c) The fund is composed of: |
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(1) gifts, grants, or donations provided to the |
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commission; and |
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(2) money from any source designated by the |
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legislature. |
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(d) Using money available in the fund, the commission may |
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provide grants to eligible entities described by Subsection (e) for |
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the purposes of: |
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(1) development of emerging technologies required for |
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any aspect of human space flight; |
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(2) research involving any aspect of space exploration |
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and space flight; |
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(3) workforce training to promote space exploration |
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and space flight; and |
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(4) curation of post-mission materials involved in |
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space exploration and space flight. |
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(e) The following entities are eligible for a grant made |
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under this section: |
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(1) a business or nonprofit entity involved in the |
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space exploration, research, or aeronautics industry; and |
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(2) a governmental entity with which the commission |
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has entered into an intergovernmental agreement for that purpose. |
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(f) The commission shall establish procedures for the |
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administration and approval of grants made under this section, |
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including procedures to ensure that a grant provided under this |
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section is in the public interest and serves the public purpose of |
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economic development and diversification. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |