By Cain S.B. No. 1617 76R3964 JRD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to educational technology. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 7, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 7.006 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 7.006. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 1-7 COORDINATING COUNCIL. (a) The Telecommunications and Educational 1-8 Technology Coordinating Council is established to coordinate the 1-9 state's promotion and use of educational technology. 1-10 (b) The council is composed of representatives from each of 1-11 the following agencies, with one representative appointed by each 1-12 agency: 1-13 (1) the Texas Education Agency; 1-14 (2) the State Board for Educator Certification; 1-15 (3) the General Services Commission; 1-16 (4) the Department of Information Resources; 1-17 (5) the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; 1-18 and 1-19 (6) the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board. 1-20 (c) The council shall create a statewide master plan 1-21 designed to promote coordination of efforts and minimize 1-22 duplication of efforts in the state's deployment of educational 1-23 technology and in educational technology grants made to school 1-24 districts and other entities. The council shall monitor the 2-1 implementation of the plan and shall attempt to coordinate state 2-2 educational technology efforts so that funding and services 2-3 provided by the state are not duplicative and that unmet needs are 2-4 addressed. 2-5 (d) The council shall promote discussions regarding issues 2-6 such as the long-term ramifications of proposed educational 2-7 technology initiatives and the best methods of meeting the 2-8 educational needs of students with educational technology. 2-9 (e) The council shall select a presiding officer from among 2-10 its members. The council shall meet at the call of the presiding 2-11 officer or as provided by procedural rules of the council. Each 2-12 agency represented on the council may provide staff support to the 2-13 council. 2-14 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is 2-15 amended by adding Section 61.0761 to read as follows: 2-16 Sec. 61.0761. TRAINING FOR USE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES. 2-17 The board, the Texas Education Agency, the State Board for Educator 2-18 Certification, and institutions of higher education, under the 2-19 leadership of the board, shall cooperate to ensure that: 2-20 (1) teachers, librarians, and students in institutions 2-21 of higher education who are preparing for careers as teachers or 2-22 librarians are trained in the effective and efficient use of 2-23 educational technologies; 2-24 (2) training standards in teaching the use of 2-25 educational technologies are developed; and 2-26 (3) with the assistance of the Telecommunications and 2-27 Educational Technology Coordinating Council, adequate funding is 3-1 available to provide continuing education to teachers and 3-2 librarians, and education to students preparing for careers as 3-3 teachers or librarians, in the use of educational technologies. 3-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-10 passage, and it is so enacted.