| 1 | 1 | | 83R20863 RWG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: J. Davis of Harris H.B. No. 2531 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2531: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Isaac C.S.H.B. No. 2531 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the use of money in the spaceport trust fund for |
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| 10 | 10 | | programs related to the aerospace industry. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 481.0069, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | amending Subsections (d) and (e) and adding Subsections (e-1) and |
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| 14 | 14 | | (e-2) to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (d) Money in the spaceport trust fund may not be spent |
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| 16 | 16 | | unless the office certifies to the comptroller: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) that: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (A) [(1)] a viable business entity has been |
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| 19 | 19 | | established that: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (i) [(A)] has a business plan that |
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| 21 | 21 | | demonstrates that the entity has available the financial, |
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| 22 | 22 | | managerial, and technical expertise and capability necessary to |
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| 23 | 23 | | launch and land a reusable launch vehicle; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (ii) [(B)] has committed to locating its |
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| 25 | 25 | | facilities at a spaceport in this state; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) [(2)] a development corporation for |
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| 27 | 27 | | spaceport facilities created under Chapter 507, Local Government |
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| 28 | 28 | | Code, has established a development plan for the spaceport project |
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| 29 | 29 | | and has secured at least 90 percent of the funding required for the |
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| 30 | 30 | | project; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (C) [(3)] the spaceport or launch operator has |
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| 32 | 32 | | obtained the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration license; |
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| 33 | 33 | | or |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) that the money will be used to pay for programs |
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| 35 | 35 | | described by Subsection (e)(2). |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) Money in the spaceport trust fund may be used only: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) to pay expenditures for the development of |
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| 38 | 38 | | infrastructure necessary or useful for establishing a spaceport; or |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) to fund programs related to research conducted |
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| 40 | 40 | | onboard the International Space Station, including a program that |
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| 41 | 41 | | provides money, subject to Subsection (e-1), to a nonprofit |
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| 42 | 42 | | organization to support that research, if the organization: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (A) is formed in this state; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (B) has a Space Act agreement with the National |
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| 45 | 45 | | Aeronautics and Space Administration; and |
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| 46 | 46 | | (C) has the authority to use the capabilities of |
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| 47 | 47 | | the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the aerospace |
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| 48 | 48 | | industry, and institutions of higher education. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (e-1) A nonprofit organization described by Subsection |
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| 50 | 50 | | (e)(2) shall use any money received under this section to support |
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| 51 | 51 | | the research described by that subdivision in collaboration with: |
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| 52 | 52 | | (1) companies formed in this state; or |
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| 53 | 53 | | (2) public-private partnerships. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (e-2) The office may contract with a development |
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| 55 | 55 | | corporation for spaceport facilities for the infrastructure |
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| 56 | 56 | | development. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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