Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB2939 Compare Versions

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1	1	81R11528 KSD-D
2	2	By: Callegari H.B. No. 2939
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the Texas Hurricane Center for
8	8	Innovative Technology at the University of Houston.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 111, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subchapter I to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER I. TEXAS HURRICANE CENTER FOR
13	13	INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY
14	14	Sec. 111.121. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
15	15	(1) "Board" means the board of regents of the
16	16	University of Houston System.
17	17	(2) "Center" means the Texas Hurricane Center for
18	18	Innovative Technology (THC-IT) established under this subchapter.
19	19	Sec. 111.122. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The Texas Hurricane
20	20	Center for Innovative Technology is established at the University
21	21	of Houston.
22	22	(b) The organization, control, and management of the center
23	23	are vested in the board.
24	24	(c) The center shall be hosted by the university's College
25	25	of Engineering. Participation in the center's activities shall be
26	26	open to any faculty member of the university who is an active
27	27	researcher in the field of materials, nanotechnology, structural
28	28	engineering, designing of structures, or sensor technology, or in
29	29	another relevant field as determined by the university.
30	30	Sec. 111.123. PURPOSE. The center is created to:
31	31	(1) promote interdisciplinary research, education,
32	32	and training for the development of state-of-the-art products,
33	33	materials, systems, and technologies designed to mitigate the wind,
34	34	flooding, and storm surge damages in the built environment and
35	35	offshore structures caused by hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region;
36	36	and
37	37	(2) develop protocols for the fast and efficient
38	38	recovery of the public and private sectors, including utilities,
39	39	hospitals, petrochemical industries, transportation facilities,
40	40	offshore platforms, and municipalities and other local communities
41	41	following a hurricane.
42	42	Sec. 111.124. POWERS AND DUTIES. The center shall:
43	43	(1) collaborate with appropriate federal, state, and
44	44	local agencies and private business or nonprofit entities as
45	45	necessary to coordinate efforts before, during, and after a
46	46	hurricane in the Gulf Coast region;
47	47	(2) develop smart materials and devices for use in
48	48	hurricane protection and mitigation systems for real-time
49	49	monitoring;
50	50	(3) develop anchor systems for window and door
51	51	screens, dwellings and other buildings, pipelines, transportation
52	52	facilities, and other onshore and offshore structures to withstand
53	53	hurricanes;
54	54	(4) develop test facilities for evaluating the
55	55	performance of new products, materials, or techniques designed to
56	56	protect against hurricane damage;
57	57	(5) develop specifications and standards for products
58	58	used for protecting against hurricane damage;
59	59	(6) develop innovative protection systems to protect
60	60	coastlines against storm surge and other related flooding;
61	61	(7) design evacuation centers, houses, and other
62	62	structures to withstand hurricanes;
63	63	(8) address issues related to the evacuation of local
64	64	municipalities, counties, and local neighborhoods and to traffic
65	65	and transportation planning in the event of a hurricane or other
66	66	disaster; and
67	67	(9) provide hurricane-related educational programs,
68	68	seminars, conferences, and workshops to the community designed to
69	69	ensure safety, facilitate necessary evacuations, minimize loss of
70	70	life, and mitigate the destruction of property associated with
71	71	hurricanes.
72	72	Sec. 111.125. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES. The
73	73	University of Houston shall encourage public and private entities
74	74	to participate in or support the operation of the center and may
75	75	enter into an agreement with any public or private entity for that
76	76	purpose. An agreement may allow the center to provide information,
77	77	services, or other assistance to an entity in exchange for the
78	78	entity's participation or support.
79	79	Sec. 111.126. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board may solicit,
80	80	accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
81	81	source for the purposes of the center.
82	82	Sec. 111.127. PERSONNEL. The board may employ personnel for
83	83	the center as necessary.
84	84	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
85	85	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
86	86	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
87	87	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
88	88	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.