By Olivo                                              H.B. No. 2908
         76R6486 CAS-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certification of a public school educator by the
 1-3     National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 21.358 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 21.358.  NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING
 1-8     STANDARDS CERTIFICATION REIMBURSEMENT.  (a)  Except as provided by
 1-9     Subsection (b), an educator who voluntarily applies for
1-10     certification from and becomes certified by the National Board for
1-11     Professional Teaching Standards is entitled to  reimbursement from
1-12     state funds appropriated for that purpose for not more than $2,000
1-13     of the necessary costs the educator incurs in achieving that
1-14     certification.
1-15           (b)  Not more than 500 educators may receive reimbursement
1-16     under this section each year.  The reimbursement shall be provided
1-17     to the first 500 educators qualified under Subsection (a) who apply
1-18     for reimbursement each year.
1-19           SECTION 2.  Section 21.358, Education Code, as added by this
1-20     Act, applies to reimbursement only for those expenses an educator
1-21     incurs on or after the effective date of this Act in achieving
1-22     certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching
1-23     Standards.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-5     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-6     passage, and it is so enacted.