Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1088 Compare Versions

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1	1	84R2885 AAF-F
2	2	By: Márquez, Larson, Lucio III, Galindo H.B. No. 1088
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the Texas Technical Center for
8	8	Innovative Desalination at The University of Texas at El Paso in
9	9	partnership with The University of Texas at San Antonio.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 69, Education Code, is amended by adding
12	12	Subchapter C to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER C. TEXAS TECHNICAL CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE
14	14	DESALINATION
15	15	Sec. 69.51. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "center" means
16	16	the Texas Technical Center for Innovative Desalination established
17	17	under this subchapter.
18	18	Sec. 69.52. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The Texas Technical Center
19	19	for Innovative Desalination is established as a joint partnership
20	20	of The University of Texas at El Paso and The University of Texas at
21	21	San Antonio.
22	22	(b) The organization, control, and management of the center
23	23	are vested in the board. The University of Texas at El Paso shall
24	24	administer the programs of the center.
25	25	(c) The center shall operate through The University of Texas
26	26	at El Paso's College of Engineering and The University of Texas at
27	27	San Antonio's College of Engineering. Participation in the
28	28	center's activities shall be open to any faculty member of either
29	29	university who is an active researcher in the field of water
30	30	desalination, engineering, hydrology, biology, water supply
31	31	development, energy efficiency, materials management, or another
32	32	relevant field as determined by the board.
33	33	Sec. 69.53. PURPOSE. The center is created to:
34	34	(1) promote interdisciplinary research, education,
35	35	and training for the development of state-of-the-art products,
36	36	materials, systems, and technologies designed for the desalination
37	37	of seawater from the Gulf of Mexico and brackish water within
38	38	surface and groundwater resources throughout the state;
39	39	(2) develop cost-effective, energy-efficient, and
40	40	environmentally sound water desalination, brine disposal, and
41	41	water conveyance technologies that can enhance the potential for
42	42	desalinated water to contribute toward the state's long-term water
43	43	portfolio; and
44	44	(3) develop and make available pertinent technical,
45	45	legal, and policy documents to advance the public's awareness about
46	46	the cost, usefulness, and applications of water desalination.
47	47	Sec. 69.54. POWERS AND DUTIES. The center shall:
48	48	(1) collaborate with appropriate international,
49	49	federal, state, and local agencies and private business or
50	50	nonprofit entities as necessary to develop innovative desalination
51	51	technologies;
52	52	(2) research and develop innovative seawater and
53	53	brackish water desalination technologies, including pretreatment
54	54	technologies and improvements, that:
55	55	(A) are cost effective and energy efficient;
56	56	(B) minimize environmental impacts; and
57	57	(C) offer long-term water supply solutions for
58	58	the state;
59	59	(3) research and develop innovative concentrate and
60	60	brine disposal methods and technologies that ensure responsible
61	61	environmental stewardship and create commercial markets for
62	62	by-products;
63	63	(4) research and develop water conveyance systems and
64	64	technologies that may be used to transport desalinated water to
65	65	target use populations;
66	66	(5) develop test facilities for evaluating the
67	67	performance of new products, materials, or techniques;
68	68	(6) develop specifications and standards for products
69	69	used for desalinating water, conveying water, and disposing of
70	70	concentrate or brine;
71	71	(7) provide public information, education, and
72	72	outreach regarding desalination technologies and appropriate uses
73	73	and conservation methods for desalinated water;
74	74	(8) provide data, recommendations, and any other
75	75	information necessary relating to desalination for local,
76	76	regional, or statewide water planning programs and processes;
77	77	(9) organize and host seminars and conferences
78	78	educating water utilities, educators, regulatory agencies, and
79	79	private entities on the center's work;
80	80	(10) research and develop brackish water systems that:
81	81	(A) are water and energy efficient; and
82	82	(B) could meet the demands of numerous small and
83	83	rural communities in the state; and
84	84	(11) advise state and federal agencies on the
85	85	inventory of the state's brackish water resources, including
86	86	brackish water resources located near the Texas-Mexico border.
87	87	Sec. 69.55. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES. The
88	88	University of Texas at El Paso and The University of Texas at San
89	89	Antonio shall encourage public, private, and nonprofit entities to
90	90	participate in or support the operation of the center and may enter
91	91	into an agreement with any public, private, or nonprofit entity for
92	92	that purpose. An agreement may allow the center to provide
93	93	information, services, or other assistance to an entity in exchange
94	94	for the entity's participation or support. The center shall
95	95	solicit active participation by researchers at other universities
96	96	and laboratories for the purposes of this subchapter.
97	97	Sec. 69.56. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The board shall solicit,
98	98	accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
99	99	source, including local, state, and federal agencies, for the
100	100	purposes of this subchapter.
101	101	Sec. 69.57. PERSONNEL. The board may employ personnel for
102	102	the center as the board considers necessary.
103	103	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
104	104	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
105	105	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
106	106	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
107	107	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.