SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND TRANSFER.

(a) The legislature finds that it is essential to the economic growth of the state that the potential for the development and growth of high technology industry be promoted and expanded. As a means of accomplishing this purpose, the board may enter into agreements with individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, and local, state, or federal agencies for funding the discovery, development, and commercialization of new products, technology, and scientific information, including an agreement to manage a national laboratory engaged in any of those endeavors. At the discretion of the board, research facilities, funding, and personnel at the various component institutions of The University of Texas System may be utilized to achieve the purposes of this section.

(b) As a means of carrying out the purposes of this section, the board may, through one or more corporations incorporated by the board or under any other cooperative arrangement:

(1) own and license rights to products, technology, and scientific information;

(2) own shares in corporations engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture, management, or marketing of products, technology, or scientific information in this state or outside this state;

(3) participate, either directly or through a subsidiary corporation or other legal entity formed for that purpose, in the discovery, development, manufacture, management, or marketing of products, technology, or scientific information on behalf of the United States or a state or local governmental entity; and

(4) carry on and support such other activities as the board may deem appropriate for achieving the purposes of this section.

(c) The board may cooperate in any manner the board considers appropriate with similar programs operated by other state-supported institutions of higher education in this state or in other states.

(d) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 359, Sec. 16(3), eff. January 1, 2012.