Bill Text: TX HB3696 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to establishing the Texas Water Research Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-19 - Referred to Higher Education [HB3696 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB3696-Introduced.html
| 84R10761 JRJ-D | ||
| By: Landgraf | H.B. No. 3696 | |
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| relating to establishing the Texas Water Research Program. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 62.003(1), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (1) Except as otherwise provided by Subchapters C, D, | ||
| E, F, [ |
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| agencies and institutions of higher education listed in Article | ||
| VII, Section 17(b), of the Constitution of Texas, and any | ||
| institution or agency of higher education that is later made | ||
| eligible to participate in the disbursement of funds pursuant to | ||
| Article VII, Section 17(c), of the Constitution of Texas. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter H to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER H. TEXAS WATER RESEARCH PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 62.151. PURPOSE. The Texas Water Research Program is | ||
| established to support and incentivize: | ||
| (1) research by eligible institutions regarding | ||
| innovative water conservation and reuse programs aimed at | ||
| increasing the viable water supply in this state and decreasing the | ||
| cost of new technologies; and | ||
| (2) public policy research by eligible institutions on | ||
| the existing water policy regulatory framework aimed at identifying | ||
| and making recommendations for improvements and clarifications to | ||
| state law and administrative rules. | ||
| Sec. 62.152. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Eligible institution" means an institution of | ||
| higher education that: | ||
| (A) is designated as a research university or an | ||
| emerging research university under the coordinating board's | ||
| accountability system; or | ||
| (B) is determined by the Texas Water Development | ||
| Board as having the ability to successfully complete a research | ||
| proposal submitted for funding under the program. | ||
| (2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
| assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
| (3) "Program" means the Texas Water Research Program. | ||
| Sec. 62.153. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION. The coordinating | ||
| board, in collaboration with the Texas Water Development Board, | ||
| shall develop and administer the Texas Water Research Program in | ||
| accordance with this subchapter to provide annual grants to | ||
| eligible institutions for research proposals selected by the Texas | ||
| Water Development Board as best serving the purposes of the | ||
| program. | ||
| Sec. 62.154. FUNDING. (a) The program is funded from the | ||
| amounts appropriated or transferred to the credit of the program | ||
| under this section or other law. | ||
| (b) The coordinating board may accept gifts or grants from | ||
| any public or private source for the program. | ||
| Sec. 62.155. RULES. (a) The coordinating board shall adopt | ||
| rules for the administration of this subchapter. | ||
| (b) The Texas Water Development Board shall adopt rules for | ||
| the merit-based selection by the board of grant recipients under | ||
| the program, including rules establishing the metrics by which | ||
| research proposals will be measured in that selection process. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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, 2015. | ||
