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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grants awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research |
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Institute of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 102.251, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The oversight committee shall issue rules regarding the |
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procedure for awarding grants to an applicant under this chapter. |
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The rules must include the following procedures: |
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(1) a research and prevention programs committee shall |
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score grant applications and make recommendations to the program |
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integration committee, established under Section 102.264, and the |
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oversight committee regarding the award of cancer research and |
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prevention grants, including a prioritized list that: |
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(A) ranks the grant applications in the order the |
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committee determines applications should be funded; and |
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(B) includes information explaining how each |
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grant application on the list meets the research and prevention |
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programs committee's standards for recommendation; |
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(2) the program integration committee shall submit to |
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the oversight committee a list of grant applications the program |
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integration committee by majority vote approved for recommendation |
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that: |
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(A) includes documentation on the factors the |
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program integration committee considered in making the grant |
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recommendations; |
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(B) is substantially based on the list submitted |
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by the research and prevention programs committee under Subdivision |
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(1); and |
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(C) to the extent possible, gives priority to |
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proposals that: |
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(i) could lead to immediate or long-term |
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medical and scientific breakthroughs in the area of cancer |
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prevention or cures for cancer; |
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(ii) strengthen and enhance fundamental |
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science in cancer research; |
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(iii) ensure a comprehensive coordinated |
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approach to cancer research; |
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(iv) are interdisciplinary or |
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interinstitutional; |
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(v) address federal or other major research |
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sponsors' priorities in emerging scientific or technology fields in |
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the area of cancer prevention or cures for cancer; |
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(vi) are matched with funds available by a |
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private or nonprofit entity and institution or institutions of |
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higher education; |
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(vii) are collaborative between any |
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combination of private and nonprofit entities, public or private |
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agencies or institutions in this state, and public or private |
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institutions outside this state; |
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(viii) have a demonstrable economic |
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development benefit to this state; |
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(ix) enhance research superiority at |
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institutions of higher education in this state by creating new |
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research superiority, attracting existing research superiority |
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from institutions not located in this state and other research |
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entities, or enhancing existing research superiority by attracting |
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from outside this state additional researchers and resources; |
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(x) [expedite innovation and product
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development, attract, create, or expand private sector entities
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that will drive a substantial increase in high-quality jobs, and] |
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increase higher education applied science or technology research |
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capabilities; and |
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(xi) address the goals of the Texas Cancer |
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Plan; and |
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(3) the institute's chief compliance officer shall |
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compare each grant application submitted to the institute to a list |
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of donors from any nonprofit organization established to provide |
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support to the institute compiled from information made available |
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under Section 102.262(c) before the application is submitted to a |
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research and prevention programs committee for review and again |
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before any grant is awarded to the applicant. |
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(f) The institute may not award a grant for the purpose of |
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expediting innovation and product development of a private sector |
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entity, or to attract, create, or expand a private sector entity. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of |
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Texas Oversight Committee shall adopt the rules necessary to |
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implement the changes in law made by this Act. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act apply to a grant |
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awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas on |
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or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the |
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grant application was submitted before, on, or after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |