Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1525 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1525
	1	+	By: Creighton, et al. S.B. No. 1525
	2	+	(Parker)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to the administration of the governor's university
6	8		research initiative.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		SECTION 1. Section 62.161(1), Education Code, as added by
9	11		Chapters 323 (S.B. 632) and 915 (H.B. 26), Acts of the 84th
10	12		Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows:
11	13		(1) "Distinguished researcher" means:
12	14		(A) an individual [a] researcher who [is]:
13	15		(i) is [(A)] a Nobel laureate; [or]
14	16		(ii) is [(B)] a member of the National
15	17		Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, or the
16	18		National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of
17	19		Medicine; or
18	20		(iii) has attained a highly prestigious
19	21		national academic recognition, as defined by office rule; or
20	22		(B) a group of researchers who have attained the
21	23		recognition described by Paragraph (A)(iii), as defined by office
22	24		rule.
23	25		SECTION 2. Section 62.162(b), Education Code, as added by
24	26		Chapters 323 (S.B. 632) and 915 (H.B. 26), Acts of the 84th
25	27		Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows:
26	28		(b) The office in consultation with the commissioner of
27	29		higher education may adopt any rules the office considers necessary
28	30		to administer this subchapter. The commissioner shall recommend to
29	31		the office the types of national academic recognitions that are
30	32		considered to be highly prestigious for purposes of determining
31	33		which individuals or groups qualify as a "distinguished researcher"
32	34		under Section 62.161.
33	35		SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 62, Education Code, as
34	36		added by Chapters 323 (S.B. 632) and 915 (H.B. 26), Acts of the 84th
35	37		Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is amended by adding Section
36	38		62.169 to read as follows:
37	39		Sec. 62.169. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The governor's
38	40		university research initiative advisory board is established to
39	41		assist the office with the review and evaluation of applications
40	42		for funding of grant proposals under this subchapter. The advisory
41	43		board shall make recommendations to the office for approval or
42	44		disapproval of those applications.
43	45		(b) The advisory board must be composed of at least nine
44	46		members appointed by the governor. Of the members of the board:
45	47		(1) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
46	48		must have a background in finance;
47	49		(2) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
48	50		must have an academic background in science, technology,
49	51		engineering, or mathematics; and
50	52		(3) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
51	53		must be public members.
52	54		(c) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
53	55		size, composition, or duration of the advisory board.
54	56		(d) A member of the advisory board who is or has been
55	57		employed by, is or has been a party to a contract for any purpose
56	58		with, or is a student or former student of an applicant eligible
57	59		institution may not be involved in the review, evaluation, or
58	60		recommendation of a grant proposal made by that institution.
59	61		(e) An advisory board member is not required to be a
60	62		resident of this state.
61	63		(f) Appointments to the advisory board shall be made without
62	64		regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
63	65		national origin of the appointees.
64	66		(g) Members of the advisory board serve without
65	67		compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and
66	68		necessary expenses in attending meetings of the board or performing
67	69		other official duties authorized by the office.
68	70		SECTION 4. Subchapter H, Chapter 62, Education Code, as
69	71		added by Chapter 448 (H.B. 7), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular
70	72		Session, 2015, is repealed.
71	73		SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only
72	74		to a grant application submitted to the Texas Economic Development
73	75		and Tourism Office in the office of the governor on or after the
74	76		effective date of this Act. A grant application submitted before
75	77		the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
76	78		the date the application was submitted, and that law is continued in
77	79		effect for that purpose.
78	80		SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
79	81		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
80	82		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
81	83		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
82	84		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
83		-	______________________________ ______________________________
84		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
85		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1525 passed the Senate on
86		-	April 13, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
87		-	______________________________
88		-	Secretary of the Senate
89		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1525 passed the House on
90		-	May 20, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 15, one
91		-	present not voting.
92		-	______________________________
93		-	Chief Clerk of the House
94		-	Approved:
95		-	______________________________
96		-	Date
97		-	______________________________
98		-	Governor