HBA-JLV H.B. 3309 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3309 By: Hochberg Economic Development 7/17/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Texas is recognized as a leading technology state, and the life science industry has become an increasingly important contributor to the new Texas economy. Texas exports valuable biotechnologies to other states that then profit from their commercialization. Of the Texas institutions that provide life science research, several are centered in Houston's Texas Medical Center-University Corridor (TMC-University Corridor). Many believe that Texas will be able to attract and retain more entrepreneurial talent, leading scientists, and established biotechnology enterprises with the creation of a biotechnology park. House Bill 3309 creates the Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park in the TMC-University Corridor in Houston. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 3309 amends the Government Code to establish the Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park Coalition (coalition). The bill provides that the coalition is composed of public and private health-related institutions and other private for-profit and nonprofit and governmental institutions, and is established for the purpose of developing, funding, and operating a biotechnology research and development park to be known as the Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park (park). The bill requires the park to be operated for the purposes of: _furthering the mission of the coalition members; _economic development of the state from the commercialization of biotechnology research; _recruiting and retaining leading scientists and established biotechnology enterprises; and _supporting the growth and development of new biotechnology. The bill requires the park to be located in the area of Houston known as the Texas Medical Center. The bill authorizes the membership of the coalition to include any interested governmental or private nonprofit institution. The bill authorizes the coalition to establish a nonprofit corporation to develop and operate the park. The bill provides that the park may be developed on land owned by the State of Texas and made available for that purpose, as well as on land acquired by the state, the nonprofit corporation, or a member institution. The bill requires the park to be developed as a public-private partnership in which both public institutions and private entities contribute to the development, funding, and operation of the park. The bill requires that leases producing revenue to state institutions participating in the development of the park be at market rates. EFFECTIVE DATE June 11, 2001.