76R10126 BDH-D                           
         By Turner of Harris                                   H.B. No. 2631
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2631:
         By Hupp                                           C.S.H.B. No. 2631
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a grant program for agricultural projects in certain
 1-3     public school districts.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Title 3, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Chapter 46 to read as follows:
 1-7         CHAPTER 46.  AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS IN CERTAIN URBAN SCHOOLS
 1-8           Sec. 46.001.  CREATION.  Consistent with this chapter, the
 1-9     department by rule shall develop a program to award grants to
1-10     public elementary schools located in large urban school districts
1-11     for the purpose of establishing demonstration agricultural
1-12     projects.
1-13           Sec. 46.002.  ELIGIBILITY.  Subject to available funds, a
1-14     public elementary school is eligible to receive a grant under this
1-15     chapter if the school:
1-16                 (1)  is located in a school district with an enrollment
1-17     of at least 49,000 students; and
1-18                 (2)  submits to the department, at the time and in the
1-19     form required by the department, a proposal for a demonstration
1-20     agricultural project that includes:
1-21                       (A)  a description of the proposed project;
1-22                       (B)  a schedule of projected costs for the
1-23     project; and
1-24                       (C)  a statement of the educational benefits of
 2-1     the project, including how the project will improve understanding
 2-2     of agriculture.
 2-3           Sec. 46.003.  LIMITS.  (a)  The department may not award more
 2-4     than $2,500 to a school under this chapter in a school year.
 2-5           (b)  The department may not award a grant to more than one
 2-6     school within the same school district in a school year.
 2-7           Sec. 46.004.  REPORT.  A school that receives a grant under
 2-8     this chapter must report the results of the project to the
 2-9     department in a manner determined by the department.
2-10           Sec. 46.005.  FUNDS.  The department may solicit and accept
2-11     gifts, grants, and other donations from any source to carry out
2-12     this chapter.
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.