By:  West                                             S.B. No. 1361

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the establishment of pilot after-school programs.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 29, Education Code, is

 1-4     amended by adding a new Section 29.086 to read as follows:

 1-5           Section 29.086.  PILOT AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.  (a)  The

 1-6     Commissioner of Education shall promulgate and issue rules for the

 1-7     establishment of after-school programs to assist school districts

 1-8     that have high rates of children handled by youth agencies, police

 1-9     departments, juvenile courts and justices of the peace.

1-10           (b)  Such programs will be conducted as pilots for the school

1-11     year 1997-98 and 1998-99.

1-12           (c)  The program shall include:

1-13                 (1)  individual counseling,

1-14                 (2)  academic tutoring,

1-15                 (3)  life skills recreation, and

1-16                 (4)  gang violence prevention education.

1-17           (d)  The commissioner shall develop an appropriate funding

1-18     mechanism based on the data relating to youth being handled by

1-19     youth agencies including police departments, juvenile courts and

1-20     justices of the peace.

1-21           (e)  Funds expended for the 1998-99 biennium shall not exceed

 2-1     ten million dollars.

 2-2           (f)  The commissioner shall conduct an evaluation of such

 2-3     pilot program and report the findings to the 76th Legislative

 2-4     Session of the Texas Legislature.

 2-5           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-10     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-11     passage, and it is so enacted.