1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to specialized license plates to support the diagnosis of
1-3 reading development and comprehension at certain grade levels in
1-4 public school and to requirements concerning that diagnosis.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
1-7 is amended by adding Section 502.292 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 502.292. READ TO SUCCEED. (a) The department shall
1-9 issue specially designed "Read to Succeed" license plates for
1-10 passenger cars and light trucks.
1-11 (b) The department shall issue license plates under this
1-12 section to a person who:
1-13 (1) applies to the county assessor-collector of the
1-14 county in which the person resides on the form for original
1-15 registration or annual renewal of registration provided by the
1-16 department; and
1-17 (2) pays an annual fee in the amount set under
1-18 Subsection (c), in addition to the fee prescribed by Section
1-19 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license plates are issued, in
1-20 addition to the fee prescribed by Section 502.251.
1-21 (c) The department shall set the annual fee for license
1-22 plates under this section at:
1-23 (1) an amount, not to exceed $5, necessary to
1-24 administer this section; and
2-1 (2) an additional amount of:
2-2 (A) $25 for each set of plates, except as
2-3 provided by Paragraph (B); or
2-4 (B) $15 for each set of plates, if the person is
2-5 purchasing plates under this section for a fleet of 50 or more
2-6 vehicles.
2-7 (d) The fee collected under Subsection (c)(1) may be used
2-8 only to defray the cost of administering this section.
2-9 (e) The department shall deposit each fee collected under
2-10 Subsection (c)(2) to the credit of an account in the general
2-11 revenue fund to be known as the "Read to Succeed" account. Money
2-12 from the account may be used only to supplement appropriated funds
2-13 in implementing the requirements under Section 28.006, Education
2-14 Code. The account is composed of:
2-15 (1) money required to be deposited to the credit of
2-16 the account under this subsection; and
2-17 (2) donations made to the account.
2-18 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
2-19 amended by adding Section 28.006 to read as follows:
2-20 Sec. 28.006. READING DIAGNOSIS. (a) The commissioner shall
2-21 develop recommendations for school districts for:
2-22 (1) administering reading instruments to diagnose
2-23 student reading development and comprehension;
2-24 (2) training educators in administering the reading
2-25 instruments; and
2-26 (3) applying the results of the reading instruments to
2-27 the instructional program.
3-1 (b) The commissioner shall adopt a list of reading
3-2 instruments that a school district may use to diagnose student
3-3 reading development and comprehension. A district-level committee
3-4 established under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, may adopt a list of
3-5 reading instruments for use in the district in addition to the
3-6 reading instruments on the commissioner's list. Each reading
3-7 instrument adopted by the commissioner or a district-level
3-8 committee must be based on scientific research concerning reading
3-9 skills development and reading comprehension. A list of reading
3-10 instruments adopted under this subsection must provide for
3-11 diagnosing the reading development and comprehension of students
3-12 participating in a program under Subchapter B, Chapter 29.
3-13 (c) Each school district shall administer, at the
3-14 kindergarten and first and second grade levels, a reading
3-15 instrument on the list adopted by the commissioner or by the
3-16 district-level committee. The district shall administer the
3-17 reading instrument in accordance with the commissioner's
3-18 recommendations under Subsection (a)(1).
3-19 (d) The superintendent of each school district shall report
3-20 to the board of trustees of the district the results of the reading
3-21 instruments.
3-22 (e) The results of reading instruments administered under
3-23 this section may not be used for purposes of appraisals and
3-24 incentives under Chapter 21 or accountability under Chapter 39.
3-25 (f) This section may be implemented only if funds are
3-26 appropriated for administering the reading instruments. Funds,
3-27 other than local funds, may be used to pay the cost of
4-1 administering a reading instrument only if the instrument is on the
4-2 list adopted by the commissioner.
4-3 (g) The commissioner shall adopt a list of reading
4-4 instruments and recommendations concerning those reading
4-5 instruments in accordance with this section not later than August
4-6 1, 1998. Each school district shall implement a reading diagnosis
4-7 program in accordance with this section, and recommendations
4-8 adopted under this section, beginning with the 1998-1999 school
4-9 year. This subsection expires January 1, 1999.
4-10 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
4-11 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 107 was passed by the House on May 1,
1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in Senate
amendments to H.B. No. 107 on May 20, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 107 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 16, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor