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.