What happened?
Abbott was joined by Rep. Greg Bonnen, House Speaker Dade Phelan and UT Dallas President Emeritus David Daniel at a news conference to announce the committee’s inaugural members. The committee will oversee the innovation consortium and work with industry stakeholders in advancing semiconductor research, design and manufacturing, according to a news release.
Executive committee members were appointed by Abbott, Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Daniel will lead the committee as chair, according to the news release.
“With the leadership of Dr. David Daniel and the hard work of the consortium, Texas will lead the way in research, design and manufacturing of microchips for generations to come,” Abbott said.
Click here for a complete list of appointees to the committee.
What they’re saying
The announcement comes after Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law in June. The act established the TSIC and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, Abbott said.
“[The act] will leverage federal CHIPS act money to promote microchip production,” Abbott said. “It will tap into the expertise of colleges and universities as we expand workforce training. It will attract public and private investment for the semiconductor industry in Texas.”
The state has ranked first in the U.S. in exporting semiconductors for 12 years in a row, he said. They want to utilize Texas’ educated workforce and infrastructure to further benefit the semiconductor industry.
Phelan said the CHIPS act was the future of Texas.
“We're sending a very clear message that Texas is not—we're not satisfied being the leader of this nation,” he said. “We want to be the global leader in this technology, and it starts today.”
Daniel said the committee’s work has the potential to touch everyone’s lives. As the industry grows, thousands of additional Texans may be needed to contribute to the success of researching and manufacturing semiconductors, he said.
“This is a complex enterprise,” Daniel said. “This group of people has expertise in the details of almost every element of that enterprise, and also the years of experience to see and understand the big picture so that the dollars are invested wisely.”
The committee’s first tasks are to hire an executive director, develop criteria for selecting projects to fund and develop a strategic plan, he said.
The background
Abbott announced his support for creation of the innovation consortium in March 2023. The legislation was proposed after the federal CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law in August 2022.
The law allocated $52.7 billion for semiconductor research, development, manufacturing and workforce development in the U.S.
The executive committee will govern the innovation consortium by developing and executing a comprehensive statewide plan for advancing semiconductor research and development. The innovation fund will be used to support colleges and universities in semiconductor research.
