75R11902 DWS-F
By Giddings, Gray, McCall, Raymond, H.B. No. 107
Turner of Harris, et al.
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 107:
By Alexander C.S.H.B. No. 107
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to specialized license plates to support an elementary
1-3 student reading program.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
1-6 is amended by adding Section 502.292 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 502.292. READ TO SUCCEED. (a) The department shall
1-8 issue specially designed "Read to Succeed" license plates for
1-9 passenger cars and light trucks.
1-10 (b) The department shall issue license plates under this
1-11 section to a person who:
1-12 (1) applies to the county assessor-collector of the
1-13 county in which the person resides on the form for original
1-14 registration or annual renewal of registration provided by the
1-15 department; and
1-16 (2) pays an annual fee in the amount set under
1-17 Subsection (c), in addition to the fee prescribed by Section
1-18 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license plates are issued, in
1-19 addition to the fee prescribed by Section 502.251.
1-20 (c) The department shall set the annual fee for license
1-21 plates under this section at:
1-22 (1) an amount, not to exceed $5, necessary to
1-23 administer this section; and
1-24 (2) an additional amount of:
2-1 (A) $15 for each set of plates, if the person is
2-2 purchasing plates under this section for a fleet of 50 or more
2-3 vehicles; or
2-4 (B) $25 for each set of plates, if Paragraph (A)
2-5 does not apply.
2-6 (d) The department shall deposit each fee collected under
2-7 Subsection (c)(2) to the credit of the "Read to Succeed" account
2-8 established under Section 29.355, Education Code.
2-9 (e) The fee collected under Subsection (c)(1) may be used
2-10 only to defray the cost of administering this section.
2-11 SECTION 2. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
2-12 Subchapter J to read as follows:
2-13 SUBCHAPTER J. READ TO SUCCEED PROGRAM
2-14 Sec. 29.351. PROGRAM REQUIRED. The commissioner shall
2-15 develop a program, to be called the "Read to Succeed" program,
2-16 under which grants are made to public school campuses to provide
2-17 extra reading education to students in kindergarten through third
2-18 grade who are reading below grade level.
2-19 Sec. 29.352. ELIGIBILITY; CONDITIONS. To receive a grant
2-20 under this subchapter a school campus must have at least 35 percent
2-21 of its students in kindergarten through third grade reading below
2-22 grade level. These funds may not be used by the school campus to
2-23 supplant any existing programs. The extra reading education must
2-24 be provided to those students after regular classroom hours. A
2-25 certified public school employee may not be assigned additional
2-26 instructional duties as a result of this subchapter outside of the
2-27 regular workday unless the employee is compensated for the duties
3-1 at a reasonable rate of pay.
3-2 Sec. 29.353. ADMINISTRATION BY COMMISSIONER. The
3-3 commissioner shall:
3-4 (1) determine additional guidelines for eligibility
3-5 for a grant under this subchapter;
3-6 (2) prescribe the procedure for application for and
3-7 making of grants; and
3-8 (3) perform other activities the commissioner
3-9 considers necessary to carry out this subchapter.
3-10 Sec. 29.354. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The "Read to Succeed"
3-11 advisory board shall assist the commissioner in developing program
3-12 goals, determining which eligible applicants receive grants, the
3-13 amount of each grant, and promoting the "Read to Succeed" license
3-14 plates.
3-15 (b) The advisory board is composed of the commissioner or
3-16 the commissioner's designee and eight other members appointed as
3-17 follows:
3-18 (1) four persons appointed by the governor as provided
3-19 by Subsection (c);
3-20 (2) two additional persons appointed by the governor
3-21 from a list of nominees submitted by the speaker of the house of
3-22 representatives; and
3-23 (3) two persons appointed by the lieutenant governor.
3-24 (c) Of the members appointed under Subsection (b)(1):
3-25 (1) one must represent the public;
3-26 (2) two must represent children's educational
3-27 interests; and
4-1 (3) one must represent public schools.
4-2 (d) A member of the advisory board may not be compensated
4-3 for service on the board but is entitled to reimbursement for
4-4 necessary expenses of travel in carrying out the member's duties on
4-5 the board.
4-6 Sec. 29.355. READ TO SUCCEED ACCOUNT. (a) The comptroller
4-7 shall maintain a "Read to Succeed" account in the general revenue
4-8 fund. The account is composed of:
4-9 (1) money required to be deposited to the credit of
4-10 the account under Section 502.292, Transportation Code; and
4-11 (2) donations made to the account.
4-12 (b) Money in the "Read to Succeed" account may be used only
4-13 to make grants under this subchapter.
4-14 SECTION 3. A grant may not be made under Subchapter J,
4-15 Chapter 29, Education Code, as added by this Act, before August 1,
4-16 1998.
4-17 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
4-18 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
4-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.