1-1 By: Giddings, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Ratliff) H.B. No. 107 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 2, 1997; 1-3 May 5, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance; 1-4 May 12, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 12, 1997, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 107 By: Ratliff 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to specialized license plates to support the diagnosis of 1-11 reading development and comprehension at certain grade levels in 1-12 public school and to requirements concerning that diagnosis. 1-13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-14 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 1-15 is amended by adding Section 502.292 to read as follows: 1-16 Sec. 502.292. READ TO SUCCEED. (a) The department shall 1-17 issue specially designed "Read to Succeed" license plates for 1-18 passenger cars and light trucks. 1-19 (b) The department shall issue license plates under this 1-20 section to a person who: 1-21 (1) applies to the county assessor-collector of the 1-22 county in which the person resides on the form for original 1-23 registration or annual renewal of registration provided by the 1-24 department; and 1-25 (2) pays an annual fee in the amount set under 1-26 Subsection (c), in addition to the fee prescribed by Section 1-27 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license plates are issued, in 1-28 addition to the fee prescribed by Section 502.251. 1-29 (c) The department shall set the annual fee for license 1-30 plates under this section at: 1-31 (1) an amount, not to exceed $5, necessary to 1-32 administer this section; and 1-33 (2) an additional amount of: 1-34 (A) $25 for each set of plates, except as 1-35 provided by Paragraph (B); or 1-36 (B) $15 for each set of plates, if the person is 1-37 purchasing plates under this section for a fleet of 50 or more 1-38 vehicles. 1-39 (d) The fee collected under Subsection (c)(1) may be used 1-40 only to defray the cost of administering this section. 1-41 (e) The department shall deposit each fee collected under 1-42 Subsection (c)(2) to the credit of an account in the general 1-43 revenue fund to be known as the "Read to Succeed" account. Money 1-44 from the account may be used only to supplement appropriated funds 1-45 in implementing the requirements under Section 28.006, Education 1-46 Code. The account is composed of: 1-47 (1) money required to be deposited to the credit of 1-48 the account under this subsection; and 1-49 (2) donations made to the account. 1-50 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is 1-51 amended by adding Section 28.006 to read as follows: 1-52 Sec. 28.006. READING DIAGNOSIS. (a) The commissioner shall 1-53 develop recommendations for school districts for: 1-54 (1) administering reading instruments to diagnose 1-55 student reading development and comprehension; 1-56 (2) training educators in administering the reading 1-57 instruments; and 1-58 (3) applying the results of the reading instruments to 1-59 the instructional program. 1-60 (b) The commissioner shall adopt a list of reading 1-61 instruments that a school district may use to diagnose student 1-62 reading development and comprehension. A district-level committee 1-63 established under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, may adopt a list of 1-64 reading instruments for use in the district in addition to the 2-1 reading instruments on the commissioner's list. Each reading 2-2 instrument adopted by the commissioner or a district-level 2-3 committee must be based on scientific research concerning reading 2-4 skills development and reading comprehension. A list of reading 2-5 instruments adopted under this subsection must provide for 2-6 diagnosing the reading development and comprehension of students 2-7 participating in a program under Subchapter B, Chapter 29. 2-8 (c) Each school district shall administer, at the 2-9 kindergarten and first and second grade levels, a reading 2-10 instrument on the list adopted by the commissioner or by the 2-11 district-level committee. The district shall administer the 2-12 reading instrument in accordance with the commissioner's 2-13 recommendations under Subsection (a)(1). 2-14 (d) The superintendent of each school district shall report 2-15 to the board of trustees of the district the results of the reading 2-16 instruments. 2-17 (e) The results of reading instruments administered under 2-18 this section may not be used for purposes of appraisals and 2-19 incentives under Chapter 21 or accountability under Chapter 39. 2-20 (f) This section may be implemented only if funds are 2-21 appropriated for administering the reading instruments. Funds, 2-22 other than local funds, may be used to pay the cost of 2-23 administering a reading instrument only if the instrument is on the 2-24 list adopted by the commissioner. 2-25 (g) The commissioner shall adopt a list of reading 2-26 instruments and recommendations concerning those reading 2-27 instruments in accordance with this section not later than August 2-28 1, 1998. Each school district shall implement a reading diagnosis 2-29 program in accordance with this section, and recommendations 2-30 adopted under this section, beginning with the 1998-1999 school 2-31 year. This subsection expires January 1, 1999. 2-32 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-33 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-34 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-38 * * * * *