LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 19, 2025

TO:	Honorable Brandon Creighton, Chair, Senate Committee on Education K-16
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB127 by Wilson (Relating to measures to protect public institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of theft of trade secrets; providing civil penalties; increasing a criminal penalty.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would establish measures to protect public institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries and amend provisions related to the prosecution of the criminal offense of theft of trade secrets. The bill would establish the Higher Education Research Security Council and establish certain requirements related to gifts from and contracts with foreign adversaries and certain companies, international exchange agreements and partnerships and student associations, screening of foreign researchers, foreign travel for researchers, academic partnerships, and review of education software. 

It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources. Any revenue implications cannot be estimated and would be dependent on the number of criminal penalties or violations resulting in an administrative or civil penalty. It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 308 State Auditor's Office, 405 Department of Public Safety, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 717 Texas Southern University, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 775 Texas Woman's University System, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration, 966 Howard College, 978 San Jacinto College

LBB Staff:

JMc, NC, MGol, LBO, GO, NV