By Longoria, Howard, Olivo, Moreno of El Paso H.B. No. 1129
76R3625 BDH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the implementation of a public education curriculum
1-3 based on scientific research.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 7.102(c)(4), Education Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (4) The board shall establish curriculum and
1-8 graduation requirements as required by Chapter 28.
1-9 SECTION 2. Section 8.051(d), Education Code, is amended to
1-10 read as follows:
1-11 (d) Each regional education service center shall maintain
1-12 core services for purchase by school districts and campuses. The
1-13 core services are:
1-14 (1) training and assistance in teaching each subject
1-15 area assessed under Section 39.023 using methods based on
1-16 scientific research;
1-17 (2) training and assistance in providing each program
1-18 that qualifies for a funding allotment under Section 42.151,
1-19 42.152, 42.153, or 42.156;
1-20 (3) assistance specifically designed for a school
1-21 district rated academically unacceptable under Section 39.072(a) or
1-22 a campus whose performance is considered unacceptable based on the
1-23 indicators adopted under Section 39.051;
1-24 (4) training and assistance to teachers,
2-1 administrators, members of district boards of trustees, and members
2-2 of site-based decision-making committees; and
2-3 (5) assistance in complying with state laws and rules.
2-4 SECTION 3. Section 11.201(d), Education Code, is amended to
2-5 read as follows:
2-6 (d) The duties of the superintendent include:
2-7 (1) assuming administrative responsibility and
2-8 leadership for the planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation
2-9 of:
2-10 (A) the education programs, services, and
2-11 facilities of the district;
2-12 (B) [and for] the annual performance appraisal
2-13 of the district's staff; and
2-14 (C) curricula based on scientific research for
2-15 elementary reading, spelling, and mathematics;
2-16 (2) assuming administrative authority and
2-17 responsibility for the assignment and evaluation of all personnel
2-18 of the district other than the superintendent;
2-19 (3) making recommendations regarding the selection of
2-20 personnel of the district other than the superintendent, as
2-21 provided by Section 11.163;
2-22 (4) initiating the termination or suspension of an
2-23 employee or the nonrenewal of an employee's term contract;
2-24 (5) managing the day-to-day operations of the district
2-25 as its administrative manager;
2-26 (6) preparing and submitting to the board of trustees
2-27 a proposed budget as provided by Section 44.002;
3-1 (7) preparing recommendations for policies to be
3-2 adopted by the board of trustees and overseeing the implementation
3-3 of adopted policies;
3-4 (8) developing or causing to be developed appropriate
3-5 administrative regulations to implement policies established by the
3-6 board of trustees;
3-7 (9) providing leadership for the attainment of student
3-8 performance in the district based on the indicators adopted under
3-9 Section 39.051 and other indicators adopted by the State Board of
3-10 Education or the district's board of trustees;
3-11 (10) organizing the district's central administration;
3-12 and
3-13 (11) performing any other duties assigned by action of
3-14 the board of trustees.
3-15 SECTION 4. Section 11.202(b), Education Code, is amended to
3-16 read as follows:
3-17 (b) Each principal shall:
3-18 (1) except as provided by Subsection (d), approve all
3-19 teacher and staff appointments for that principal's campus from a
3-20 pool of applicants selected by the district or of applicants who
3-21 meet the hiring requirements established by the district, based on
3-22 criteria developed by the principal after informal consultation
3-23 with the faculty;
3-24 (2) set specific education objectives for the
3-25 principal's campus, including for elementary school principals the
3-26 implementation of curricula based on scientific research for
3-27 reading, spelling, and mathematics, through the planning process
4-1 under Section 11.253;
4-2 (3) develop budgets for the principal's campus;
4-3 (4) assume the administrative responsibility and
4-4 instructional leadership, under the supervision of the
4-5 superintendent, for discipline at the campus;
4-6 (5) assign, evaluate, and promote personnel assigned
4-7 to the campus;
4-8 (6) recommend to the superintendent the termination or
4-9 suspension of an employee assigned to the campus or the nonrenewal
4-10 of the term contract of an employee assigned to the campus; and
4-11 (7) perform other duties assigned by the
4-12 superintendent pursuant to the policy of the board of trustees.
4-13 SECTION 5. Section 11.252(a), Education Code, is amended to
4-14 read as follows:
4-15 (a) Each school district shall have a district improvement
4-16 plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in
4-17 accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the
4-18 assistance of the district-level committee established under
4-19 Section 11.251. The purpose of the district improvement plan is to
4-20 guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student
4-21 performance for all student groups in order to attain state
4-22 standards in respect to the academic excellence indicators adopted
4-23 under Section 39.051. The district improvement plan must include
4-24 provisions for:
4-25 (1) a comprehensive needs assessment addressing
4-26 district student performance on the academic excellence indicators,
4-27 and other appropriate measures of performance, that are
5-1 disaggregated by all student groups served by the district,
5-2 including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and
5-3 populations served by special programs;
5-4 (2) measurable district performance objectives for all
5-5 appropriate academic excellence indicators for all student
5-6 populations, appropriate objectives for special needs populations,
5-7 and other measures of student performance that may be identified
5-8 through the comprehensive needs assessment;
5-9 (3) strategies for improvement of student performance
5-10 that include:
5-11 (A) instructional methods, including methods
5-12 based on scientific research for reading, spelling, and
5-13 mathematics, for addressing the needs of student groups not
5-14 achieving their full potential;
5-15 (B) methods for addressing the needs of students
5-16 for special programs, such as suicide prevention, conflict
5-17 resolution, violence prevention, research-based reading programs,
5-18 or dyslexia treatment programs;
5-19 (C) dropout reduction;
5-20 (D) integration of technology in instructional
5-21 and administrative programs;
5-22 (E) discipline management;
5-23 (F) staff development, including where
5-24 appropriate, training in the use of curricula based on scientific
5-25 research for reading, spelling, and mathematics, for professional
5-26 staff of the district;
5-27 (G) career education to assist students in
6-1 developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a
6-2 broad range of career opportunities; and
6-3 (H) accelerated education;
6-4 (4) resources needed to implement identified
6-5 strategies;
6-6 (5) staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment
6-7 of each strategy;
6-8 (6) timelines for ongoing monitoring of the
6-9 implementation of each improvement strategy; and
6-10 (7) formative evaluation criteria for determining
6-11 periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended
6-12 improvement of student performance.
6-13 SECTION 6. Section 12.013(b), Education Code, is amended to
6-14 read as follows:
6-15 (b) A home-rule school district is subject to:
6-16 (1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
6-17 offense;
6-18 (2) a provision of this title relating to limitations
6-19 on liability; and
6-20 (3) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
6-21 applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
6-22 title, relating to:
6-23 (A) the Public Education Information Management
6-24 System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
6-25 this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
6-26 (B) educator certification under Chapter 21 and
6-27 educator rights under Sections 21.407, 21.408, and 22.001;
7-1 (C) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
7-2 Chapter 22;
7-3 (D) student admissions under Section 25.001;
7-4 (E) school attendance under Sections 25.085,
7-5 25.086, and 25.087;
7-6 (F) inter-district or inter-county transfers of
7-7 students under Subchapter B, Chapter 25;
7-8 (G) elementary class size limits under Section
7-9 25.112, in the case of any campus in the district that is
7-10 considered low-performing under Section 39.131(b);
7-11 (H) curriculum requirements under Sections
7-12 28.002(a)(1)(A) and (B);
7-13 (I) high school graduation under Section 28.025;
7-14 (J) [(I)] special education programs under
7-15 Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
7-16 (K) [(J)] bilingual education under Subchapter
7-17 B, Chapter 29;
7-18 (L) [(K)] prekindergarten programs under
7-19 Subchapter E, Chapter 29;
7-20 (M) [(L)] safety provisions relating to the
7-21 transportation of students under Sections 34.002, 34.003, 34.004,
7-22 and 34.008;
7-23 (N) [(M)] computation and distribution of state
7-24 aid under Chapters 31, 42, and 43;
7-25 (O) [(N)] extracurricular activities under
7-26 Section 33.081;
7-27 (P) [(O)] health and safety under Chapter 38;
8-1 (Q) [(P)] public school accountability under
8-2 Subchapters B, C, D, and G, Chapter 39;
8-3 (R) [(Q)] equalized wealth under Chapter 41;
8-4 (S) [(R)] a bond or other obligation or tax rate
8-5 under Chapters 42, 43, and 45; and
8-6 (T) [(S)] purchasing under Chapter 44.
8-7 SECTION 7. Section 12.056(b), Education Code, is amended to
8-8 read as follows:
8-9 (b) A campus or program for which a charter is granted under
8-10 this subchapter is subject to:
8-11 (1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
8-12 offense; and
8-13 (2) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
8-14 applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
8-15 title, relating to:
8-16 (A) the Public Education Information Management
8-17 System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
8-18 this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
8-19 (B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
8-20 Chapter 22;
8-21 (C) curriculum requirements under Sections
8-22 28.002(a)(1)(A) and (B);
8-23 (D) high school graduation under Section 28.025;
8-24 (E) [(D)] special education programs under
8-25 Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
8-26 (F) [(E)] bilingual education under Subchapter
8-27 B, Chapter 29;
9-1 (G) [(F)] prekindergarten programs under
9-2 Subchapter E, Chapter 29;
9-3 (H) [(G)] extracurricular activities under
9-4 Section 33.081;
9-5 (I) [(H)] health and safety under Chapter 38;
9-6 and
9-7 (J) [(I)] public school accountability under
9-8 Subchapters B, C, D, and G, Chapter 39.
9-9 SECTION 8. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to
9-10 read as follows:
9-11 (b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:
9-12 (1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
9-13 offense; and
9-14 (2) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
9-15 applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
9-16 title, relating to:
9-17 (A) the Public Education Information Management
9-18 System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
9-19 this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
9-20 (B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
9-21 Chapter 22;
9-22 (C) curriculum requirements under Sections
9-23 28.002(a)(1)(A) and (B);
9-24 (D) high school graduation under Section 28.025;
9-25 (E) [(D)] special education programs under
9-26 Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
9-27 (F) [(E)] bilingual education under Subchapter
10-1 B, Chapter 29;
10-2 (G) [(F)] prekindergarten programs under
10-3 Subchapter E, Chapter 29;
10-4 (H) [(G)] extracurricular activities under
10-5 Section 33.081;
10-6 (I) [(H)] health and safety under Chapter 38;
10-7 and
10-8 (J) [(I)] public school accountability under
10-9 Subchapters B, C, D, and G, Chapter 39.
10-10 SECTION 9. Section 19.004(c), Education Code, is amended to
10-11 read as follows:
10-12 (c) The district shall:
10-13 (1) develop educational and vocational training
10-14 programs specifically designed for persons eligible under Section
10-15 19.005, including an educational curriculum based on scientific
10-16 research to teach reading, spelling, and mathematics to those
10-17 persons who test at or below the sixth grade level on approved
10-18 placement tests; and
10-19 (2) coordinate educational programs and services in
10-20 the department with those provided by other state agencies, by
10-21 political subdivisions, and by persons who provide programs and
10-22 services under contract.
10-23 SECTION 10. Section 21.045, Education Code, is amended by
10-24 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
10-25 (e) Not later than September 1, 2000, the educator
10-26 preparation accreditation standards must include the requirement
10-27 that elementary teachers display knowledge of educational curricula
11-1 based on scientific research for teaching reading, spelling, and
11-2 mathematics. This subsection expires January 1, 2001.
11-3 SECTION 11. Section 21.046(b), Education Code, is amended to
11-4 read as follows:
11-5 (b) The qualifications for certification as a principal must
11-6 be sufficiently flexible so that an outstanding teacher may qualify
11-7 by substituting approved experience and professional training for
11-8 part of the educational requirements. Supervised and approved
11-9 on-the-job experience in addition to required internship shall be
11-10 accepted in lieu of classroom hours. The qualifications must
11-11 emphasize:
11-12 (1) instructional leadership;
11-13 (2) administration, supervision, and communication
11-14 skills;
11-15 (3) curriculum and instruction management, including
11-16 for elementary school principals knowledge of effective
11-17 implementation methods for educational curricula based on
11-18 scientific research for elementary reading, spelling, and
11-19 mathematics;
11-20 (4) performance evaluation;
11-21 (5) organization; and
11-22 (6) fiscal management.
11-23 SECTION 12. Section 21.047(c), Education Code, is amended to
11-24 read as follows:
11-25 (c) A center may develop and implement a comprehensive
11-26 field-based educator preparation program to supplement the
11-27 internship hours required in Section 21.050. This comprehensive
12-1 field-based teacher program must:
12-2 (1) be designed on the basis of current research into
12-3 state-of-the-art teaching practices, curriculum theory and
12-4 application, evaluation of student outcomes, and the effective
12-5 application of technology;
12-6 (2) for elementary teachers, emphasize the use of
12-7 educational methods and curricula based on scientific research for
12-8 teaching elementary reading, spelling, and mathematics; and
12-9 (3) [(2)] have rigorous internal and external
12-10 evaluation procedures that focus on content, delivery systems, and
12-11 teacher and student outcomes.
12-12 SECTION 13. Section 21.451(b), Education Code, is amended to
12-13 read as follows:
12-14 (b) The staff development must be predominantly
12-15 campus-based, related to achieving campus performance objectives
12-16 established under Section 11.253, and developed and approved by the
12-17 campus-level committee established under Section 11.251. Campus
12-18 staff development may include activities that enable the campus
12-19 staff to plan together to enhance existing skills, to share
12-20 effective strategies, to reflect on curricular and instructional
12-21 issues, to analyze student achievement results, to reflect on means
12-22 of increasing student achievement, to study research, to practice
12-23 new methods, to study educational methods based on scientific
12-24 research, to identify students' strengths and needs, to develop
12-25 meaningful programs for students, to appropriately implement
12-26 site-based decision-making, and to conduct action research. The
12-27 campus staff development activities may be conducted using study
13-1 teams, individual research, peer coaching, workshops, seminars,
13-2 conferences, or other reasonable methods that have the potential to
13-3 improve student achievement.
13-4 SECTION 14. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
13-5 amending Subsections (a) and (i) and adding Subsection (l) to read
13-6 as follows:
13-7 (a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through
13-8 grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
13-9 (1) a foundation curriculum that includes:
13-10 (A) English language arts, including elementary
13-11 reading using educational methods based on scientific research and
13-12 morphographic spelling using educational methods based on
13-13 scientific research;
13-14 (B) mathematics, including elementary
13-15 mathematics using educational methods based on scientific research;
13-16 (C) science; and
13-17 (D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United
13-18 States, and world history, government, and geography; and
13-19 (2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
13-20 (A) to the extent possible, languages other than
13-21 English;
13-22 (B) health;
13-23 (C) physical education;
13-24 (D) fine arts;
13-25 (E) economics, with emphasis on the free
13-26 enterprise system and its benefits;
13-27 (F) career and technology education; and
14-1 (G) technology applications.
14-2 (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
14-3 implementation of this subchapter. Except as provided by
14-4 Subsection (j) and (l), the board may not adopt rules that
14-5 designate the methodology used by a teacher or the time spent by a
14-6 teacher or a student on a particular task or subject.
14-7 (l) Any method used to teach elementary reading, spelling,
14-8 or mathematics must be based on scientific research.
14-9 SECTION 15. Section 29.057, Education Code, is amended by
14-10 adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
14-11 (d) The curriculum used for teaching reading, spelling, and
14-12 mathematics in bilingual education or special language programs
14-13 must be based on scientific research.
14-14 SECTION 16. Sections 29.081(b) and (e), Education Code, are
14-15 amended to read as follows:
14-16 (b) Each district shall provide accelerated instruction to a
14-17 student enrolled in the district who has taken the secondary
14-18 exit-level assessment instrument and has not performed
14-19 satisfactorily on each section or who is at risk of dropping out of
14-20 school. The accelerated instruction must consist of educational
14-21 methods based on scientific research.
14-22 (e) A school district may use a private or public
14-23 community-based dropout recovery education program based on
14-24 scientific research to provide alternative education programs for
14-25 students at risk of dropping out of school. The program must grade
14-26 students' work, offer course credit, modify instructional time
14-27 requirements, and establish methods of evaluating subject mastery.
15-1 SECTION 17. Section 29.084(a), Education Code, is amended to
15-2 read as follows:
15-3 (a) Each school district may provide at the district's
15-4 schools tutorial services based on scientific research [at the
15-5 district's schools].
15-6 SECTION 18. Section 29.153(f), Education Code, is amended to
15-7 read as follows:
15-8 (f) A district's prekindergarten program must [shall] be
15-9 designed to develop skills necessary for success in the regular
15-10 public school curriculum, including language, mathematics, and
15-11 social skills, and must be based on scientific research.
15-12 SECTION 19. Section 29.253, Education Code, is amended to
15-13 read as follows:
15-14 Sec. 29.253. PROVISION OF ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. Adult
15-15 education programs shall be provided by public school districts,
15-16 public junior colleges, public universities, public nonprofit
15-17 agencies, and community-based organizations approved in accordance
15-18 with state statutes and rules adopted by the State Board of
15-19 Education. The programs must be based on scientific research and
15-20 must be designed to meet the education and training needs of adults
15-21 to the extent possible within available public and private
15-22 resources. Bilingual education may be the method of instruction
15-23 for students who do not function satisfactorily in English whenever
15-24 it is appropriate for their optimum development.
15-25 SECTION 20. Section 31.029, Education Code, is amended to
15-26 read as follows:
15-27 Sec. 31.029. BILINGUAL TEXTBOOKS. The board shall purchase
16-1 or otherwise acquire textbooks that are based on scientific
16-2 research for use in bilingual education classes.
16-3 SECTION 21. Section 37.002(a), Education Code, is amended to
16-4 read as follows:
16-5 (a) A teacher may send a student to the principal's office
16-6 to maintain effective discipline in the classroom. The first time
16-7 a student is referred to the principal, the principal must
16-8 determine the student's educational performance level by
16-9 administering a reading decoding and comprehension placement test
16-10 and a mathematics placement test. If the student's test
16-11 performance is two or more grade levels below the student's
16-12 assigned grade level, the principal must place the student in an
16-13 appropriate corrective reading or mathematics program that uses
16-14 methods based on scientific research. If the student's test
16-15 performance is equal to or greater than the student's assigned
16-16 grade level, or if the student continues to act in an inappropriate
16-17 manner after being placed in a corrective educational program that
16-18 uses methods based on scientific research, the principal shall
16-19 respond by employing appropriate discipline management techniques
16-20 consistent with the student code of conduct adopted under Section
16-21 37.001.
16-22 SECTION 22. Section 37.008(a), Education Code, is amended to
16-23 read as follows:
16-24 (a) Each school district shall provide an alternative
16-25 education program that:
16-26 (1) is provided in a setting other than a student's
16-27 regular classroom;
17-1 (2) is located on or off of a regular school campus;
17-2 (3) provides for the students who are assigned to the
17-3 alternative education program to be separated from students who are
17-4 not assigned to the program;
17-5 (4) focuses on English language arts, mathematics,
17-6 science, history, and self-discipline;
17-7 (5) provides a reading, spelling, and mathematics
17-8 curriculum based on scientific research;
17-9 (6) provides for students' educational and behavioral
17-10 needs; and
17-11 (7) [(6)] provides supervision and counseling.
17-12 SECTION 23. Section 37.011(h), Education Code, is amended to
17-13 read as follows:
17-14 (h) Academically, the mission of juvenile justice
17-15 alternative education programs shall be to enable students to
17-16 perform at grade level. A student who is not performing at grade
17-17 level on entering a juvenile justice alternative education program,
17-18 as determined by the student's performance on a reading decoding
17-19 and comprehension placement test and a mathematics placement test,
17-20 must be placed in a corrective educational program that uses
17-21 methods based on scientific research. For purposes of
17-22 accountability under Chapter 39, a student enrolled in a juvenile
17-23 justice alternative education program is reported as if the student
17-24 were enrolled at the student's assigned campus in the student's
17-25 regularly assigned education program, including a special education
17-26 program. Annually the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, with
17-27 the agreement of the commissioner, shall develop and implement a
18-1 system of accountability consistent with Chapter 39, where
18-2 appropriate, to assure that students make progress toward grade
18-3 level while attending a juvenile justice alternative education
18-4 program. The Texas Juvenile Probation Commission shall adopt rules
18-5 for the distribution of funds appropriated under this section to
18-6 juvenile boards in counties required to establish juvenile justice
18-7 alternative education programs. A student served by a juvenile
18-8 justice alternative education program on the basis of an expulsion
18-9 under Section 37.007(a), (d), or (e) is not eligible for Foundation
18-10 School Program funding under Chapter 42 or 31.
18-11 SECTION 24. Section 37.055, Education Code, is amended to
18-12 read as follows:
18-13 Sec. 37.055. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. (a) On admitting a
18-14 student to a school-community guidance center, a representative of
18-15 the school district, the student, and the student's parent shall
18-16 develop an agreement that specifies the responsibilities of the
18-17 parent and the student. The agreement must include:
18-18 (1) a statement of the student's behavioral and
18-19 learning objectives, including a description of the educational
18-20 methods based on scientific research and the behavioral
18-21 modification methods that the school district intends to use to
18-22 meet the objectives;
18-23 (2) a requirement that the parent attend specified
18-24 meetings and conferences for teacher review of the student's
18-25 progress; [and]
18-26 (3) the parent's acknowledgement that the parent
18-27 understands and accepts the responsibilities imposed by the
19-1 agreement regarding attendance at meetings and conferences and
19-2 assistance in meeting other objectives, defined by the district, to
19-3 aid student remediation; and
19-4 (4) the school district's acknowledgement that the
19-5 district will use the best educational methods based on scientific
19-6 research available to accomplish the learning objectives.
19-7 (b) The superintendent of the school district may obtain a
19-8 court order from a district court in the school district requiring
19-9 a parent to comply with an agreement made under this section. A
19-10 parent who violates a court order issued under this subsection may
19-11 be punished for contempt of court.
19-12 (c) A parent may obtain a court order from a district court
19-13 in the county in which a school district is located requiring the
19-14 superintendent of the school district to comply with an agreement
19-15 made under this section. A superintendent who violates a court
19-16 order issued under this subsection may be punished for contempt of
19-17 court.
19-18 (d) In this section, "parent" includes a legal guardian.
19-19 SECTION 25. Section 38.003(b), Education Code, is amended to
19-20 read as follows:
19-21 (b) In accordance with the program approved by the State
19-22 Board of Education, the board of trustees of each school district
19-23 shall provide for the treatment of any student determined to have
19-24 dyslexia or a related disorder, including a corrective reading
19-25 program based on scientific research that has proven successful in
19-26 providing dyslexia remediation.
19-27 SECTION 26. (a) This Act takes effect July 1, 1999.
20-1 (b) Notwithstanding the textbook review and adoption
20-2 requirements under Section 31.022, Education Code, or the textbook
20-3 review and adoption cycle the State Board of Education adopts under
20-4 that section, the board shall review and adopt reading, spelling,
20-5 and mathematics textbooks and accompanying teacher editions that
20-6 are based on scientific research that satisfy requirements under
20-7 Sections 28.002(a)(1)(A) and (B), Education Code, as amended by
20-8 this Act, as soon as practicable.
20-9 SECTION 27. The importance of this legislation and the
20-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
20-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
20-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
20-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
20-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
20-15 terms, and it is so enacted.