HBA-JRA H.B. 2631 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2631 By: Turner, Sylvester Agriculture & Livestock 7/22/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Some public schools include the study of agriculture in their curriculum. Demonstrations and handson participation may be an effective supplement to textbooks and lectures in teaching public school children about agriculture. H.B. 2631 requires the Texas Department of Agriculture to develop a program to award grants to large urban public elementary schools to establish demonstration agricultural projects. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Department of Agriculture in SECTION 1 (Section 46.001, Agriculture Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Title 3, Agriculture Code, by adding Chapter 46, as follows: CHAPTER 46. AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS IN CERTAIN URBAN SCHOOLS Sec. 46.001. CREATION. Requires the Department of Agriculture (department), by rule, to develop a program to award grants to public elementary schools located in large urban school districts for the purpose of establishing demonstration agricultural projects. Sec. 46.002. ELIGIBILITY. Provides that a public elementary school is eligible to receive a grant if it is in a school district with an enrollment of at least 49,000 students, or of at least 45,000 students if more than $25,000 is appropriated, and timely submits a proposal for a demonstration agricultural project that includes a description of the project, a schedule of projected costs, and a statement of the educational benefits of the project, including how the project will improve understanding of agriculture. Sec. 46.003. LIMIT. Prohibits the department from awarding more than $2,500 to a school in a school year or to more than one school in the same school district in a school year. Sec. 46.004. REPORT. Provides that a school that receives a grant under this chapter must report the results of the project to the department in a manner determined by the department. Sec. 46.005. FUNDS. Authorizes the department to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and other donations from any source to carry out this chapter. SECTION 2. Provides that this Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in H.B. 1 (General Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.