HBA-MPA H.B. 1478 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1478 By: Oliveira Economic Development 3/15/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, centers for border economic enterprise development exist at The University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, U.T. El Paso, and Texas A&M International University in Laredo. The centers provide a database concerning the Texas-Mexico border, offer seminars and conferences concerning the border economy, and coordinate economic and enterprise development planning activities of state agencies to ensure that the border is integrated into comprehensive state economic development plans. The University of Texas at Brownsville, which is the state's southernmost institution of higher learning, and is located less than a block from Mexico, does not currently have an economic and enterprise development center. H.B. 1478 establishes a center for border economic and enterprise development on the U.T. Brownsville campus. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 78, Education Code, by adding Section 78.09, as follows: Sec. 78.09. CENTER FOR BORDER ECONOMIC AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT. (a) Requires the board of regents of The University of Texas (board) to establish a center for border economic and enterprise development (center) at The University of Texas at Brownsville. (b) Authorizes the center to develop and manage an economic database concerning the Texas-Mexico border (border), perform economic development planning and research, provide technical assistance to industrial and governmental entities, and coordinate economic and enterprise development planning activities in cooperation with other state agencies to ensure that the economic needs of the border are integrated within a comprehensive state economic development plan. (c) Authorizes the center to offer seminars and conduct conferences and other educational programs concerning the border economy and economic and enterprise development within the state. (d) Authorizes the board to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations to aid in the establishment, maintenance, and operation of the center. (e) Requires the center to cooperate fully with other listed educational institutions. SECTION 2. Amends Section 69.22(e), Education Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 3. Amends Section 77.36(e), Education Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 4. Amends Section 87.504(e), Education Code, to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 5. Requires the board to establish the center no later than January 1, 2000. SECTION 6.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.