1-1 By: Ratliff, Bivins S.B. No. 297
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 24, 1997; January 28, 1997,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
1-4 February 4, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas
1-5 10, Nays 0; February 4, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the technology allotment under the foundation school
1-9 program.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 31.021, Education Code,
1-12 is amended to read as follows:
1-13 (b) The State Board of Education shall annually set aside
1-14 out of the available school fund of the state an amount sufficient
1-15 for the board, school districts, and open-enrollment charter
1-16 schools to purchase and distribute the necessary textbooks for the
1-17 use of the students of this state for the following school year.
1-18 The board shall determine the amount of the available school fund
1-19 to set aside for the state textbook fund based on:
1-20 (1) a report by the commissioner issued on July 1 or,
1-21 if that date is a Saturday or Sunday, on the following Monday,
1-22 stating the amount of unobligated money in the fund;
1-23 (2) a requirement to provide an allotment to be
1-24 distributed to each district equal to $30 per student in average
1-25 daily attendance, or a greater amount for any year provided by
1-26 appropriation [as determined under Subsection (c)], to be used only
1-27 to:
1-28 (A) provide for the purchase by school districts
1-29 of electronic textbooks or technological equipment that contributes
1-30 to student learning; and
1-31 (B) pay for training educational personnel
1-32 directly involved in student learning in the appropriate use of
1-33 electronic textbooks and for providing for access to technological
1-34 equipment for instructional use;
1-35 (3) the commissioner's estimate, based on textbooks
1-36 selected under Section 31.101 and on attendance reports submitted
1-37 under Section 31.103 by school districts and open-enrollment
1-38 charter schools, of the amount of funds, in addition to funds
1-39 reported under Subdivision (1), that will be necessary for purchase
1-40 and distribution of textbooks for the following school year; and
1-41 (4) any amount the board determines should be set
1-42 aside for emergency purposes caused by unexpected increases in
1-43 attendance.
1-44 SECTION 2. Subsection (c), Section 31.021, Education Code,
1-45 is repealed.
1-46 SECTION 3. (a) If this Act receives the votes required by
1-47 Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution, for an effective date
1-48 before the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session,
1-49 this Act takes effect immediately and applies beginning with the
1-50 1996-1997 school year.
1-51 (b) If this Act does not receive the votes required by
1-52 Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution, for an effective date
1-53 before the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session,
1-54 this Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and applies beginning with
1-55 the 1997-1998 school year.
1-56 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-57 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-58 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-59 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-60 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-61 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
1-62 terms, and it is so enacted.
1-63 * * * * *