| 1 | 1 | | 89R2269 JCG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Guillen H.B. No. 1236 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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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 a study on electric unmanned aircraft capable of or |
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| 10 | 10 | | designed for vertical take-off and landing and the facilities |
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| 11 | 11 | | needed to develop that technology in this state. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 437, Government Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 437.120 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 437.120. STUDY ON eVTOL AIRCRAFT; EXPIRATION. (a) In |
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| 16 | 16 | | this section: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "AFWERX" means the division of the United States |
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| 18 | 18 | | Department of the Air Force charged with researching, developing, |
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| 19 | 19 | | and implementing new technologies for military use. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) "eVTOL aircraft" means an unmanned aircraft that |
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| 21 | 21 | | is capable of or is designed for vertical take-off and landing using |
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| 22 | 22 | | electric power. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b) The department shall conduct a study on the resources |
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| 24 | 24 | | available for the research, development, validation, and |
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| 25 | 25 | | implementation of eVTOL aircraft and similar technologies in this |
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| 26 | 26 | | state. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) The study must include recommendations for the creation |
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| 28 | 28 | | of an integrated network of facilities to research, develop, field |
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| 29 | 29 | | test, validate, and implement the use and manufacture of eVTOL |
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| 30 | 30 | | aircraft and similar technologies in this state. The |
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| 31 | 31 | | recommendations regarding an integrated network of facilities must |
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| 32 | 32 | | specify that the facilities meet or exceed the research and |
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| 33 | 33 | | development capabilities of AFWERX. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) Not later than June 1, 2026, the department shall submit |
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| 35 | 35 | | a written report to the governor and the legislature on the study |
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| 36 | 36 | | conducted under this section, including the recommendations |
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| 37 | 37 | | required by Subsection (c). |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) This section expires September 1, 2027. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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