By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 2631 76R7969 BDH-F 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 schools located in large urban school districts for the 1-11 purpose of establishing demonstration agricultural projects. 1-12 Sec. 46.002. ELIGIBILITY. Subject to available funds, a 1-13 public school is eligible to receive a grant under this chapter if 1-14 the school: 1-15 (1) is located in a municipality with a population of 1-16 at least one million; 1-17 (2) is located in a school district with an enrollment 1-18 of at least 60,000 students; and 1-19 (3) submits to the department, at the time and in the 1-20 form required by the department, a proposal for a demonstration 1-21 agricultural project that includes: 1-22 (A) a description of the proposed project; 1-23 (B) a schedule of projected costs for the 1-24 project; and 2-1 (C) a statement of the educational benefits of 2-2 the project, including how the project will improve understanding 2-3 of agriculture. 2-4 Sec. 46.003. LIMIT. A grant awarded to a school under this 2-5 chapter may not exceed $2,500. 2-6 Sec. 46.004. REPORT. A school that receives a grant under 2-7 this chapter must report the results of the project to the 2-8 department in a manner determined by the department. 2-9 Sec. 46.005. FUNDS. The department may solicit and accept 2-10 gifts, grants, and other donations from any source to carry out 2-11 this chapter. 2-12 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-18 passage, and it is so enacted.