75R15416 CAS-D                          

         By Sibley, et al.                                      S.B. No. 294

         Substitute the following for S.B. No. 294:

         By Hochberg                                        C.S.S.B. No. 294

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to a study project involving the use of computer networks

 1-3     in public schools.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.   Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Education Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 32.037 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 32.037.  COMPUTER NETWORK STUDY PROJECT.  (a)  The

 1-8     agency shall develop a study project to determine the costs and

 1-9     benefits of using computer networks, including the Internet, in

1-10     public schools.  The commissioner shall determine the issues to be

1-11     studied in the project, but the issues must include the possibility

1-12     of delivering, through a computer network, updated supplements to

1-13     textbooks under Chapter 31.

1-14           (b)  An advisory committee shall be appointed to assist the

1-15     agency in the study project.  The commissioner shall appoint to the

1-16     advisory committee agency personnel, textbook publishers,

1-17     educators, students, and technology experts.  The presiding

1-18     officers of the senate and the house of representatives shall each

1-19     appoint two members of the legislature to serve on the advisory

1-20     committee.

1-21           (c)  The study must be:

1-22                 (1)  conducted using a group of school districts

1-23     selected by the agency to provide a geographically,

1-24     demographically, and economically balanced sample;

 2-1                 (2)  designed to yield results with statewide

 2-2     applications; and

 2-3                 (3)  coordinated with the State Board of Education's

 2-4     long-range technology plan adopted under Section 32.001, including

 2-5     standards for computer literacy adopted under Section 32.001(a)(3).

 2-6           (d)  The commissioner shall appoint a subcommittee to

 2-7     investigate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of developing

 2-8     electronic textbooks that may be used by students who are blind or

 2-9     have other disabilities.

2-10           (e)  The agency shall report the results of the study project

2-11     to the 76th Legislature not later than February 1, 1999.

2-12           (f)  This section expires September 1, 1999.

2-13           SECTION 2.   The importance of this legislation and the

2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-19     passage, and it is so enacted.