By:  Finnell                                          H.B. No. 1029
       73R4089 CAE-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the creation of the Texas interactive multimedia
    1-3  communications fund; regulating interactive multimedia
    1-4  communications services and equipment.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Chapter 14, Education Code, is amended by adding
    1-7  Subchapter E to read as follows:
    1-8              SUBCHAPTER E.  TEXAS INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA
    1-9                          COMMUNICATIONS FUND
   1-10        Sec. 14.081.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
   1-11              (1)  "Interactive multimedia communications" means
   1-12  real-time, two-way, interactive voice, video, and data
   1-13  communications conducted over networks that link geographically
   1-14  dispersed locations.
   1-15              (2)  "Fund" means the Texas interactive multimedia
   1-16  communications fund.
   1-17        Sec. 14.082.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of this subchapter is to
   1-18  establish a Texas interactive multimedia communications fund to:
   1-19              (1)  provide substantially equal access for students
   1-20  throughout the state to instruction of high quality in all courses
   1-21  of study; and
   1-22              (2)  provide substantially equal access for teachers
   1-23  and administrators throughout the state to teaching tools of high
   1-24  quality and efficient management systems.
    2-1        Sec. 14.083.  ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.  (a)  The Texas
    2-2  interactive multimedia communications fund is an account in the
    2-3  general revenue fund.
    2-4        (b)  The Central Education Agency may receive gifts and
    2-5  grants for deposit to the credit of the fund.
    2-6        Sec. 14.084.  FUND ADMINISTRATION.  (a)  The Central
    2-7  Education Agency shall administer the fund and make annual
    2-8  disbursements from the fund.
    2-9        (b)  The State Board of Education by rule shall provide for:
   2-10              (1)  the administration of the fund; and
   2-11              (2)  standards for interactive multimedia
   2-12  communications services and equipment purchased with a grant under
   2-13  this subchapter and the reasonable cost for those services and
   2-14  equipment.
   2-15        (c)  The State Board of Education shall consult with the
   2-16  Public Utility Commission of Texas in establishing the standards
   2-17  for interactive multimedia communications services and equipment.
   2-18        Sec. 14.085.  GRANTS.  (a)  The Central Education Agency
   2-19  shall grant money from the fund to school districts for the
   2-20  acquisition of interactive multimedia communications services or
   2-21  equipment.
   2-22        (b)  To be eligible for a grant under this subchapter a
   2-23  school district must submit a grant application to the Central
   2-24  Education Agency.  The application must include a plan for the use
   2-25  of the grant.
   2-26        (c)  The State Board of Education by rule shall adopt
   2-27  guidelines and procedures for the award of grants under this
    3-1  section.
    3-2        (d)  A grant received under this section may be used only to
    3-3  purchase interactive multimedia communications services or
    3-4  equipment.
    3-5        (e)  A school district that uses interactive multimedia
    3-6  communications services or equipment is exempt from the student and
    3-7  teacher ratios provided by Section 16.054 of this code for classes
    3-8  that teach students through the use of the equipment or services.
    3-9        SECTION 2.  Article XIV, Public Utility Regulatory Act
   3-10  (Article 1446c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
   3-11  adding Section 98A to read as follows:
   3-12        Sec. 98A.  (a)  The commission by rule shall require a
   3-13  telecommunications utility that has the equipment and ability to
   3-14  provide interactive multimedia communications services to provide
   3-15  those services to a school district.
   3-16        (b)  The commission shall allow the telecommunications
   3-17  utility to recover from the calling or called party an amount equal
   3-18  to the direct costs incurred by the utility in providing the
   3-19  service, as determined by the commission.
   3-20        (c)  The commission shall allow a telecommunications utility
   3-21  to recover from the universal service fund any revenues lost as a
   3-22  result of providing the service to a school district.
   3-23        (d)  In this section, "interactive multimedia communications"
   3-24  has the meaning assigned by Section 14.081, Education Code.
   3-25        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   3-26        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-27  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    4-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    4-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    4-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.