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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a statewide reading enrichment program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 74 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 74. STATEWIDE READING ENRICHMENT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 74.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Program" means the statewide reading enrichment |
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program established under this chapter. |
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Sec. 74.002. STATEWIDE READING ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. (a) |
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The commission, in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, |
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shall establish a statewide reading enrichment program to encourage |
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early childhood literacy and support the future educational and |
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economic success of children in this state by mailing |
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age-appropriate books on a monthly basis to children six years of |
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age or younger who register for the program. |
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(b) The commission, after consulting with the Texas |
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Education Agency, shall: |
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(1) develop a list of high-quality, age-appropriate |
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books encompassing diverse subjects and genres to be distributed to |
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children in the program; |
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(2) publish on the commission's Internet website |
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information about the program; and |
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(3) develop, coordinate, and promote a statewide |
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public awareness campaign to inform the public regarding the |
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program, including how to register eligible children into the |
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program. |
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Sec. 74.003. FUNDING. The commission shall actively seek |
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and apply for any available federal funding to assist in financing |
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the program, including funding available under the Child Care and |
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Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 9858 et |
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seq.). |
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Sec. 74.004. RULES. The commission may adopt rules as |
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necessary to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission shall, as soon as |
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practicable after the effective date of this Act, apply for any |
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available federal money to assist in financing the statewide |
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reading enrichment program under Chapter 74, Human Resources Code, |
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as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |