Bill > HB4762

This bill establishes the Higher Education Research Security Council (HERSC) to enhance research security at tier one research institutions in Texas. The council will be composed of research security officers from tier one research institutions (defined as universities classified as R1: very high spending and doctorate production) and other higher education institutions that choose to participate. The council's primary responsibilities include identifying best practices for conducting secure research, developing a research security policy, creating an accreditation process for research security excellence, promoting academic security seminars, and developing an annual training program for security officers that covers researcher background checks and research security tools. The council must meet quarterly, either in person or via video conference, and will submit an annual confidential report to the governor, attorney general, and legislative committees. Importantly, the council is prohibited from accepting gifts, grants, or donations from entities associated with countries deemed security risks, such as those banned from federal contracts, identified as Chinese military companies, or designated as foreign adversaries by the U.S. government. The bill sets a timeline for establishing the council by October 1, 2025, with the first meeting to be held by January 1, 2026, and will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Education

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4762