By: Hughes S.B. No. 2796
AN ACT
relating to the Cancer Prevention Research Institute's fiscal
responsibilities to the state of Texas.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 102.002, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 102.002. PURPOSES. The Cancer Prevention and Research
Institute of Texas is established to:
(1) create and expedite innovation in the area of
cancer research and in enhancing the potential for a medical
or scientific breakthrough in the prevention of cancer and
cures for cancer;
(2) attract, create, or expand research capabilities
of public or private institutions of higher education and
other public or private entities that will promote a
substantial increase in cancer research and in the creation
of high-quality new jobs in this state; and
(3) develop and implement the Texas Cancer Plan.; and
(4) provide a reasonable return on investment for the
state, with fiduciary responsibilities to the state of Texas,
with a non-binding target of at least 1% returns per year,
subject to the decision of the Institute's oversight
committee.
SECTION 2. Section 102.0511(c), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) The chief executive officer shall hire:
(1) one chief scientific officer;
(2) one chief operating officer;
(3) one chief investment officer;
(34) one chief product development officer; and
(45) one chief prevention officer.
SECTION 3. Section 102.251(a-2-C), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(C) to the extent possible, gives priority to
proposals that:
(i) could lead to immediate or long-term medical
and scientific breakthroughs in the area of cancer
prevention or cures for cancer;
(ii) strengthen and enhance fundamental science
in cancer research;
(iii) ensure a comprehensive coordinated
approach to cancer research;
(iv) to the best of the program integration
committee's knowledge, with consultation by the chief
investment officer and chief financial officer, is
expected to be financially viable and to enter the
market within 15 years of initial investment, provide a
complete return on initial investment for the state
within 20 years, as long as a grant is considered by the
program integration committee to be of extraordinary
scientific or medical value;
(ivv) are interdisciplinary or
interinstitutional;
(vi) address federal or other major research
sponsors' priorities in emerging scientific or
technology fields in the area of cancer prevention or
cures for cancer;
(vii) are matched with funds available by a
private or nonprofit entity and institution or
institutions of higher education;
(viii) are collaborative between any combination
of private and nonprofit entities, public or private
agencies or institutions in this state, and public or
private institutions outside this state;
(viiiix) have a demonstrable economic
development benefit to this state;
(ix) enhance research superiority at
institutions of higher education in this state by
creating new research superiority, attracting existing
research superiority from institutions not located in
this state and other research entities, or enhancing
existing research superiority by attracting from
outside this state additional researchers and
resources;
(xi) expedite innovation and product
development, attract, create, or expand private sector
entities that will drive a substantial increase in
high-quality jobs, and increase higher education
applied science or technology research capabilities;
and
(xii) address the goals of the Texas Cancer Plan;
and
SECTION 4. Section 102.255 (c-3), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(3) specify:
(A) the amount of matching funds to be dedicated
under Subdivision (2);
(B) the period in which the grant award must be
spent;
(C) the name of the research project to which
matching funds are to be dedicated; and
(D) the specific deliverables of the project that
is the subject of the grant proposal.; and
(E) an agreement by the grant recipient to
provide bi-annual reports on the anticipated timeline
for a return on investment for the state's portion of
the grant money, when taking into consideration the
progress made by grant recipient and market conditions.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.