HBA-TYH C.S.H.B. 2992 BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2992 By: Davis, John Economic Development 4/20/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has supported technology outreach programs in at least one other state, in accordance with its charter, which states that technologies developed during space exploration are to be shared with American companies. Florida has developed a Technological Research and Development Authority which has been successful in coordinating the efforts of county economic development organizations and the NASA-Kennedy Space Center to apply NASA and private aerospace engineering expertise to challenges to local businesses, at no cost to the businesses. C.S.H.B. 2992 creates a business technology outreach program to assist Texas businesses in making use of technology developed by NASA. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the board of regents of the University of Houston System in SECTION 1 (Section 111.42, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 111, Education Code, by adding Section 111.42, as follows: Sec. 111.42. BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM. (a) Requires the board of regents of the University of Houston System (board) to develop and establish a business technology outreach program (program) to assist businesses in this state to make use of technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Requires the board to work with NASA, appropriate businesses, and economic development organizations in this state to carry out the program. (b) Authorizes the board, from money appropriated to or otherwise under the control of the board, to award grants to economic development organizations for use in recruiting appropriate businesses for participation in the program and provide other appropriate assistance to program participants. (c) Requires the board to appoint an advisory board of technical advisors to evaluate requests from economic development organizations and businesses for assistance under the program and advise the board on distribution of the assistance. (d) Requires the board to adopt rules to administer the program, including rules relating to application and eligibility for grants. Authorizes the board to enter agreements as necessary to carry out the program. SECTION 2. Requires the board, before September 1, 2000, to provide assistance under Section 111.42, Education Code, as added by this Act, only in a county with a population of more than 200,000 that contains, or is contiguous to a county that contains, a NASA facility. Authorizes the board, on and after September 1, 2000, to provide the assistance throughout the state. SECTION 3. Provides that this Act does not make an appropriation and that Section 1 of this Act does not require the board to establish the program unless money is specifically appropriated to fund the program. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 5. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute modifies the original bill in SECTION 1 by adding Section 111.42 to Subchapter C, Chapter 111 (The University of Houston), Education Code, rather than adding Section 482.004 to Chapter 482 (Texas Aerospace Commission), Government Code. Accordingly, the substitute modifies the original bill by transferring the responsibility of developing and establishing a business technology outreach board from the Texas Aerospace Commission (commission), as proposed in the original bill, to the board of regents of the University of Houston System. Makes conforming changes throughout Section 111.42. This transfer of responsibility also includes the rulemaking authority that was previously delegated to the commission in Section 482.004(d) of the original bill. The substitute modifies the original bill by adding SECTION 3 and redesignating SECTIONS 3 (effective date) and 4 (emergency clause) of the original to SECTIONS 4 and 5, respectively. SECTION 3 provides that this Act does not make an appropriation and that SECTION 1 of this Act does not require the board to establish the program unless money is specifically appropriated to fund the program.