1-1 By: Cain S.B. No. 1617 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development; 1-4 May 6, 1999, reported favorably, as amended, by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 6, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Jackson 1-7 Amend S.B. No. 1617 as follows: 1-8 (1) After line 40, insert a new Subdivision (6) and renumber 1-9 the subsequent subdivision accordingly: 1-10 (6) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; 1-11 (2) On page 1, line 55, in Subsection (e) strike "The 1-12 council shall select a presiding officer from among its members." 1-13 and insert "The Department of Information Resources representative 1-14 shall serve as presiding officer of the council." 1-15 (3) On page 1, line 60, insert a new Subsection (f) to read 1-16 as follows: 1-17 (f) Not later than January 1, 2001, the council shall 1-18 submit a report to the legislature on the implementation of the 1-19 statewide master plan with recommendations on statutory or other 1-20 changes that require legislative action to improve the statewide 1-21 master plan. 1-22 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-23 AN ACT 1-24 relating to educational technology. 1-25 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-26 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 7, Education Code, is 1-27 amended by adding Section 7.006 to read as follows: 1-28 Sec. 7.006. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 1-29 COORDINATING COUNCIL. (a) The Telecommunications and Educational 1-30 Technology Coordinating Council is established to coordinate the 1-31 state's promotion and use of educational technology. 1-32 (b) The council is composed of representatives from each of 1-33 the following agencies, with one representative appointed by each 1-34 agency: 1-35 (1) the Texas Education Agency; 1-36 (2) the State Board for Educator Certification; 1-37 (3) the General Services Commission; 1-38 (4) the Department of Information Resources; 1-39 (5) the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; 1-40 and 1-41 (6) the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board. 1-42 (c) The council shall create a statewide master plan 1-43 designed to promote coordination of efforts and minimize 1-44 duplication of efforts in the state's deployment of educational 1-45 technology and in educational technology grants made to school 1-46 districts and other entities. The council shall monitor the 1-47 implementation of the plan and shall attempt to coordinate state 1-48 educational technology efforts so that funding and services 1-49 provided by the state are not duplicative and that unmet needs are 1-50 addressed. 1-51 (d) The council shall promote discussions regarding issues 1-52 such as the long-term ramifications of proposed educational 1-53 technology initiatives and the best methods of meeting the 1-54 educational needs of students with educational technology. 1-55 (e) The council shall select a presiding officer from among 1-56 its members. The council shall meet at the call of the presiding 1-57 officer or as provided by procedural rules of the council. Each 1-58 agency represented on the council may provide staff support to the 1-59 council. 1-60 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is 1-61 amended by adding Section 61.0761 to read as follows: 1-62 Sec. 61.0761. TRAINING FOR USE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES. 1-63 The board, the Texas Education Agency, the State Board for Educator 2-1 Certification, and institutions of higher education, under the 2-2 leadership of the board, shall cooperate to ensure that: 2-3 (1) teachers, librarians, and students in institutions 2-4 of higher education who are preparing for careers as teachers or 2-5 librarians are trained in the effective and efficient use of 2-6 educational technologies; 2-7 (2) training standards in teaching the use of 2-8 educational technologies are developed; and 2-9 (3) with the assistance of the Telecommunications and 2-10 Educational Technology Coordinating Council, adequate funding is 2-11 available to provide continuing education to teachers and 2-12 librarians, and education to students preparing for careers as 2-13 teachers or librarians, in the use of educational technologies. 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, 2-19 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-20 passage, and it is so enacted. 2-21 * * * * *