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