By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 800
         76R5066 CBH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the summer food service program.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 33.024, Human Resources Code, is amended
 1-5     by adding Subsections (k)-(m) to read as follows:
 1-6           (k)  The department shall develop and implement an outreach
 1-7     program to increase participation in the summer program. The
 1-8     department shall design the outreach program to:
 1-9                 (1)  increase participation of children from low-income
1-10     families;
1-11                 (2)  increase the number of summer programs offered
1-12     across this state, with particular emphasis on increasing programs
1-13     in needy communities; and
1-14                 (3)  encourage school districts and public and private
1-15     nonprofit agencies to form partnerships to develop summer programs
1-16     that combine educational activities, such as reading enrichment,
1-17     with the provision of meals.
1-18           (l)  The outreach program required by Subsection (k) must
1-19     target communities and schools that have the highest percentage of
1-20     eligible children and include:
1-21                 (1)  presentations to public schools, public entities,
1-22     and private nonprofit agencies that would be eligible to
1-23     participate in the summer program;
1-24                 (2)  dissemination of information regarding eligibility
 2-1     requirements and application procedures;
 2-2                 (3)  continual support and technical assistance to
 2-3     existing programs to increase participation levels and to ensure
 2-4     that the programs continue to operate; and
 2-5                 (4)  public service announcements that publicize the
 2-6     summer program and that appear on local television and radio
 2-7     stations.
 2-8           (m)  The department shall administer a grant program designed
 2-9     to encourage eligible organizations to serve as local sponsors or
2-10     meal preparation sites for the summer program by awarding a
2-11     financial supplement for each meal served from funds appropriated
2-12     and available for that purpose.
2-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-14           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.