Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1105 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R8345 SCR-D
2	2	By: Parker S.B. No. 1105
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the establishment of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy
10	10	Authority and a Texas nuclear permitting officer.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by
13	13	adding Subchapter HH to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER HH. TEXAS ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY AUTHORITY
15	15	Sec. 481.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
16	16	(1) "Authority" means the Texas Advanced Nuclear
17	17	Energy Authority.
18	18	(2) "Executive committee" means the executive
19	19	committee of the authority.
20	20	(3) "Fund" means the Texas Advanced Nuclear Innovation
21	21	Fund.
22	22	(4) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
23	23	assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
24	24	Sec. 481.702. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES. (a) The Texas
25	25	Advanced Nuclear Energy Authority is established to strengthen and
26	26	grow the nuclear industry in this state and to enable and accelerate
27	27	the integration of advanced nuclear technology into the economy of
28	28	this state.
29	29	(b) The purposes of the authority are to:
30	30	(1) leverage the expertise and capacity of
31	31	institutions of higher education, industry, and regulatory
32	32	stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure
33	33	the development of advanced nuclear energy and technologies in this
34	34	state;
35	35	(2) identify obstacles and provide recommendations to
36	36	the governor and legislature regarding advanced nuclear energy and
37	37	technologies;
38	38	(3) provide strategic leadership within the advanced
39	39	nuclear reactor system in this state;
40	40	(4) manage advanced nuclear energy and technology
41	41	projects with a goal of interconnection of clean, dispatchable
42	42	nuclear power from advanced nuclear reactors to the power grid of
43	43	this state by 2035;
44	44	(5) support existing advanced nuclear energy
45	45	industries in this state and attract new advanced nuclear energy
46	46	industry projects and partners to this state;
47	47	(6) support the development of an advanced nuclear
48	48	energy supply chain in this state; and
49	49	(7) implement and build on the policy recommendations
50	50	of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group.
51	51	Sec. 481.703. ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT. (a) The
52	52	authority is administratively attached to the office of the
53	53	governor.
54	54	(b) The office shall provide the staff and facilities
55	55	necessary to assist the authority in performing the authority's
56	56	duties under this subchapter.
57	57	Sec. 481.704. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COMPOSITION. (a) The
58	58	authority is governed by an executive committee composed of the
59	59	following members:
60	60	(1) three members appointed by the governor;
61	61	(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
62	62	(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house
63	63	of representatives;
64	64	(4) the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System
65	65	or the chancellor's designee;
66	66	(5) the chancellor of The University of Texas System
67	67	or the chancellor's designee;
68	68	(6) the president of Abilene Christian University or
69	69	the president's designee; and
70	70	(7) one nonvoting student ambassador appointed by the
71	71	members described by Subdivisions (4), (5), and (6).
72	72	(b) In making appointments under Subsection (a), priority
73	73	shall be given to individuals with experience in advanced nuclear
74	74	energy research, technologies, and production.
75	75	(c) In making appointments under Subsection (a), the
76	76	governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
77	77	representatives shall coordinate to ensure that at least two
78	78	representatives from the advanced nuclear energy industry with an
79	79	established presence in this state are appointed to the executive
80	80	committee.
81	81	Sec. 481.705. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. (a) The executive
82	82	committee shall hire an executive director. The executive director
83	83	shall perform the duties required by this subchapter and any duty
84	84	delegated by the committee.
85	85	(b) The executive director must have a demonstrated ability
86	86	to lead and develop academic, commercial, military, or governmental
87	87	partnerships and coalitions.
88	88	(c) The executive director may hire staff as necessary to
89	89	implement the duties of the authority under this subchapter.
90	90	Sec. 481.706. DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The executive
91	91	committee shall:
92	92	(1) develop and execute a comprehensive statewide
93	93	strategic plan to further the objectives of the authority as
94	94	established under Section 481.702;
95	95	(2) solicit recommendations from stakeholders on
96	96	funding and research opportunities related to advanced nuclear
97	97	energy research, technologies, and production;
98	98	(3) appoint and determine the salary for a nuclear
99	99	permitting officer as required by Section 481.707;
100	100	(4) administer any funds created by the legislature,
101	101	including under Section 481.709, to support advanced nuclear
102	102	capital projects, supply chain development, and other initiatives;
103	103	and
104	104	(5) prepare and submit the report required by Section
105	105	481.708.
106	106	Sec. 481.707. NUCLEAR PERMITTING OFFICER. (a) The
107	107	executive committee shall appoint a nuclear permitting officer.
108	108	(b) The nuclear permitting officer must have a demonstrated
109	109	familiarity with the permitting and regulatory process in this
110	110	state and a developed network of contacts within the government of
111	111	this state for the purposes of assisting businesses throughout the
112	112	permitting and regulatory process.
113	113	(c) The nuclear permitting officer shall:
114	114	(1) act as a single point of contact for stakeholders
115	115	during the nuclear energy permitting process;
116	116	(2) identify active or likely siting opportunities and
117	117	required permits and approvals for nuclear energy sites and key
118	118	personnel;
119	119	(3) provide tailored assistance to help industry
120	120	navigate relevant local, state, and federal regulations and
121	121	regulatory entities for nuclear facilities; and
122	122	(4) share information regarding this state's economic
123	123	incentive programs for nuclear energy research and production.
124	124	(d) The nuclear permitting officer may enter into
125	125	agreements with the office of the governor for staff support
126	126	services to facilitate the work of the authority.
127	127	Sec. 481.708. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of
128	128	each even-numbered year, the executive committee shall prepare and
129	129	submit to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board a written
130	130	report that outlines:
131	131	(1) activities undertaken to meet the purposes of the
132	132	authority under Section 481.702;
133	133	(2) a summary of the funding and research
134	134	opportunities identified under Section 481.706;
135	135	(3) any legislative recommendations to further the
136	136	purposes of the authority;
137	137	(4) any prospective grants or funding the authority
138	138	members expect to apply for or receive; and
139	139	(5) any research accomplishments associated with the
140	140	authority.
141	141	Sec. 481.709. TEXAS ADVANCED NUCLEAR INNOVATION FUND. (a)
142	142	The Texas Advanced Nuclear Innovation Fund is created as a
143	143	dedicated account within the general revenue fund. The fund
144	144	consists of:
145	145	(1) gifts, grants, or donations to the fund; and
146	146	(2) money from any other source designated by the
147	147	legislature.
148	148	(b) Money in the fund may be used to:
149	149	(1) provide matching funding to state entities,
150	150	including institutions of higher education, for advanced nuclear
151	151	research and development projects;
152	152	(2) award grants to business entities with an
153	153	established presence in this state to encourage economic
154	154	development related to advanced nuclear energy research,
155	155	technologies, and production; and
156	156	(3) subject to Subsection (c), pay for staff support
157	157	services described by Section 481.707(d).
158	158	(c) The authority shall request from the Legislative Budget
159	159	Board approval to use money in the fund for the purpose described by
160	160	Subsection (b)(3). A request under this subsection shall be
161	161	considered approved on the 30th day after receipt by the
162	162	Legislative Budget Board unless expressly disapproved.
163	163	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.