By: Leedom S.B. No. 92 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to a voucher for the tuition of a student at a private or 1-2 parochial school. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 21, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 21.083 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 21.083. EDUCATION VOUCHER PROGRAM. (a) On the request 1-7 of an eligible parent or guardian of a student, the Central 1-8 Education Agency shall issue a voucher statement to an eligible 1-9 parent or guardian to indicate the amount it will pay to an 1-10 eligible private or parochial school to be used for the expenses of 1-11 education of the student. 1-12 (b) On behalf of an eligible parent of guardian, the Central 1-13 Education Agency shall pay to a private or parochial school in 1-14 which the student enrolls the lesser of either a sum equal to 1-15 one-half the amount of the basic allotment under Subchapter C and 1-16 the special allotments under Subchapter D, Chapter 16 of this code 1-17 that would have been attributed to the child's enrollment in his 1-18 local district; or the actual cost of tuition and fees charged by 1-19 the private or parochial school. 1-20 (c) The Central Education Agency shall pay the remainder of 1-21 the amount of the basic allotment under Subchapter C and the 1-22 special allotments under Subchapter D, Chapter 16 of this code to 1-23 the district from which the student transfers for the purpose of 2-1 attending a private or parochial school. 2-2 (d) In this section: 2-3 (1) "eligible parent or guardian" means a person who 2-4 is head of a household whose income does not exceed three times the 2-5 federal poverty line as defined in Section 673(2) of the Community 2-6 Services Block Grant Act, 42 U.S.C. 9902(2), for the forty-eight 2-7 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. 2-8 (2) "eligible private or parochial school" means an 2-9 elementary or secondary school offering grades pre-kindergarten 2-10 through 12 or a combination thereof that includes in its course of 2-11 study good citizenship and that does not discriminate in the 2-12 admission of students or the employment of teachers on the basis of 2-13 race, sex, disability, color, or economic status. 2-14 (e) The Central Education Agency may adopt rules to 2-15 implement this section. 2-16 SECTION 2. The Central Education Agency shall issue vouchers 2-17 under this Act beginning with the 1995-1996 school year. 2-18 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-23 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-24 passage, and it is so enacted.