Sec. 85.29.  RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION FOR TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.  (a)  The department may contract with the university system or a component or agency of the university system to conduct research relating to transportation, including the economics, planning, design, construction, maintenance, or operation of transportation facilities.
(b)  An agreement entered into under this section is not subject to Chapter 771, Government Code.
(c)  The comptroller may draw proper warrants in favor of any part of the university system based on vouchers or claims submitted by the system through the department covering reasonable fees and charges for services rendered by members of the staff of the system to the department and for equipment and materials necessary for research and experimentation under a contract entered into under this section.
(d)  The comptroller shall pay warrants issued under this section against any funds appropriated by the legislature to the department. The payments made to the system shall be credited and deposited to local institutional funds under its control.
(e)  In this section:
(1)  "Department" means the Texas Department of Transportation.
(2)  "Transportation facilities" means highways, turnpikes, airports, railroads, including high-speed railroads, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, waterways, pipelines, electric utility facilities, communication lines and facilities, public transportation facilities, port facilities, and facilities appurtenant to other transportation facilities.
Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 3195, ch. 1024, art. 1, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1971.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 22(32), eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 382, Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 5.21, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.