Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4329 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Strama H.B. No. 4329
2	2	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4329:
3	3	By: Strama C.S.H.B. No. 4329
4	4
5	5
6	6	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	relating to an interim study on the creation of a data collection to
9	9	track specialized technology research projects conducted by public
10	10	universities, public university research facilities, and other
11	11	state institutions.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. INTERIM STUDY REGARDING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH DATA
14	14	COLLECTION. (a) A select interim committee is created to study the
15	15	feasibility of collecting data and maintaining a searchable
16	16	electronic database, search engine, or other collection of data
17	17	(data collection) relating to specialized technology research
18	18	projects that are developed or conducted at public universities in
19	19	this state, research facilities of public universities in this
20	20	state, or other facilities operated by a state agency, in order to
21	21	facilitate coordination among the universities and facilities on
22	22	the projects and improve access to and awareness of the specialized
23	23	research and technologies developed at those institutions and
24	24	facilities.
25	25	(b) The study must consider:
26	26	(1) appropriate entities to administer the data
27	27	collection, including nonprofit organizations, public universities
28	28	in this state, or state agencies;
29	29	(2) the extent of legislative oversight required for
30	30	an entity that would maintain the data collection;
31	31	(3) compliance with state and federal laws regarding
32	32	access to public information; and
33	33	(4) the information the data collection would include,
34	34	such as:
35	35	(A) a list of projects involving one or more of
36	36	the following areas:
37	37	(i) energy research, including methods of
38	38	creation, storage, distribution, and conservation of energy;
39	39	(ii) biomedical science research;
40	40	(iii) nanotechnology research, including
41	41	nanomedicine; and
42	42	(iv) other specialized technology
43	43	research;
44	44	(B) for each project listed under Paragraph (A),
45	45	a brief description of the project, including the field of
46	46	technology involved, the entity involved with the project, and
47	47	additional comments regarding the research the board considers
48	48	appropriate; and
49	49	(C) other relevant information and available
50	50	resources in this state relating to specialized technology
51	51	research, including:
52	52	(i) expert faculty or research personnel;
53	53	(ii) available technology and patents
54	54	obtained;
55	55	(iii) the location of and policies for the
56	56	use of available research equipment; and
57	57	(iv) public grants or contracts awarded.
58	58	(c) The study shall examine the current state of access to
59	59	public information about specialized technology research projects
60	60	and shall assess the best methods of facilitating access to the
61	61	information. In addition, the study shall consider what information
62	62	should be accessible by the general public and what information, if
63	63	any, should have restricted access.
64	64	(d) The committee shall be composed of:
65	65	(1) representatives of the following institutions,
66	66	with one member named by each institution: The University of Texas
67	67	at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, the
68	68	University of Houston, the University of North Texas, The
69	69	University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at
70	70	Dallas, The University of Texas at El Paso, and The University of
71	71	Texas at San Antonio; and
72	72	(2) a number of members appointed by the Texas Higher
73	73	Education Coordinating Board as the coordinating board considers
74	74	appropriate to represent the coordinating board, data collection
75	75	providers, and the technology industry.
76	76	(e) On the request of the committee, a general academic
77	77	institution of higher education, research facility of a general
78	78	academic institution of higher education, or other facility
79	79	operated by a state agency shall provide to the board or advisory
80	80	committee any information necessary for the board or advisory
81	81	committee to perform its duties under this section.
82	82	SECTION 2. COMMITTEE REPORT. Not later than December 1,
83	83	2010, the committee shall report the committee's findings and
84	84	recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
85	85	house of representatives, and the governor. The committee shall
86	86	include in its recommendations specific legislation that the
87	87	committee considers desirable to address the need for and
88	88	feasibility of establishing a data collection as determined by the
89	89	committee's findings.
90	90	SECTION 3. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The committee is
91	91	abolished and this Act expires January 16, 2011.
92	92	SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
93	93	immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
94	94	elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
95	95	Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
96	96	immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.