Bill Text: TX SJR17 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Texas Research Consortium to Cure Infectious Diseases (TRANSCEND) and authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund collaborative research on and development of infectious disease treatments and cures for humans.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-03 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SJR17 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SJR17-Introduced.html

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87R1319 JG-D
By: Menéndez S.J.R. No. 17

A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the
establishment of the Texas Research Consortium to Cure Infectious
Diseases (TRANSCEND) and authorizing the issuance of general
obligation bonds to fund collaborative research on and development
of infectious disease treatments and cures for humans.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 69 to read as follows:
Sec. 69. (a) In this section:
(1) "Consortium" means the Texas Research Consortium
to Cure Infectious Diseases (TRANSCEND).
(2) "Disease" means a disorder of structure or
function in a human that produces specific signs or symptoms or
affects a specific location in the human body and that has the
potential of being prevented by a vaccine or otherwise treated or
cured.
(b) The legislature by general law shall establish the Texas
Research Consortium to Cure Infectious Diseases (TRANSCEND) to:
(1) award grants to public or private persons or
entities for the purpose of:
(A) conducting collaborative research on
infectious diseases and associated conditions and innovative
methods to prepare for infectious disease outbreaks;
(B) developing treatments and cures, including
vaccines, for diseases and associated conditions;
(C) developing education initiatives and
conducting outreach to engage and inform the public on infectious
diseases and associated conditions; and
(D) developing initiatives to prepare for and
rapidly respond to infectious disease outbreaks and public health
crises;
(2) establish a centralized research location through
which the consortium will operate and facilitate collaborative
research on infectious diseases and related disorders and the
development of treatments and cures for infectious diseases; and
(3) establish appropriate standards and oversight
bodies for the consortium to ensure money authorized by this
section is properly used for infectious disease research and
preparation and for development of infectious disease treatments
and cures.
(c) The legislature by general law shall establish for the
consortium a governing body and any other decision-making body the
legislature determines appropriate to govern the consortium. The
members of the governing body and other decision-making body of the
consortium serve terms of not more than four years.
(d) The legislature by general law may authorize the Texas
Public Finance Authority to provide for, issue, and sell general
obligation bonds of the State of Texas on behalf of the consortium
in an amount not to exceed $3 billion and to enter into related
credit agreements. The Texas Public Finance Authority may not
issue more than $300 million in bonds authorized by this subsection
in any state fiscal year. The bonds shall be executed in the form,
on the terms, and in the denominations, bear interest, and be issued
in installments as prescribed by the Texas Public Finance
Authority.
(e) Proceeds from the sale of the bonds shall be deposited
in separate funds or accounts, as provided by general law, within
the state treasury to be used by the consortium to implement this
section.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
constitution, the consortium, which is established in state
government, may use the proceeds from bonds issued under Subsection
(d) of this section and any federal or private grants and gifts to:
(1) provide grants for the purposes described by
Subsection (b)(1) of this section;
(2) purchase, subject to approval by the governing
body and any other decision-making body of the consortium, research
and laboratory facilities by or on behalf of a grant recipient; and
(3) operate the consortium.
(g) The proceeds from bonds issued under Subsection (d) of
this section may be used to pay the costs of issuing the bonds and
any administrative expense related to the bonds.
(h) While any bond or interest on a bond authorized by this
section is outstanding and unpaid, from the first money deposited
to the state treasury in each state fiscal year not otherwise
appropriated by this constitution, an amount sufficient to pay the
principal of and interest on bonds that mature or become due during
the year and to make payments that become due under a related credit
agreement during the year is appropriated for purposes of this
section, less the amount in the sinking fund at the close of the
previous state fiscal year.
(i) A bond issued under this section, after approval by the
attorney general, registration by the comptroller of public
accounts, and delivery to the purchasers, is incontestable and is a
general obligation of this state under this constitution.
(j) Before the consortium may make a grant of any proceeds
of bonds issued under this section, the recipient of the grant must
have an amount of money equal to one-half the amount of the grant
dedicated to the research that is the subject of the grant request.
(k) The Texas Public Finance Authority shall consider using
a business whose principal place of business is located in this
state to issue the bonds authorized by this section, including
using a historically underutilized business as defined by general
law.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 2021.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the
establishment of the Texas Research Consortium to Cure Infectious
Diseases (TRANSCEND) and authorizing the issuance of up to $3
billion in general obligation bonds to fund collaborative research
on and development of infectious disease treatments and cures for
humans."