By Turner of Harris                                    H.B. No. 723
         77R1297 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to an allotment to school districts for use by teachers in
 1-3     purchasing supplies used in classroom teaching.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 42.159 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 42.159.  TEACHING SUPPLIES ALLOTMENT. (a)  In this
 1-8     section, "teacher" means a person employed by a school district
 1-9     who, not less than an average of four hours each school day,
1-10     teaches in an academic instructional setting or a career and
1-11     technology instructional setting.  The term does not include a
1-12     teacher's aide or a full-time administrator.
1-13           (b)  For each  full-time equivalent teacher  employed by a
1-14     school district, the district is entitled to an annual allotment of
1-15     $400.
1-16           (c)  A school district must use money allocated under this
1-17     section to provide each full-time teacher in the district with $400
1-18     to purchase classroom supplies.
1-19           (d)  A teacher may use money provided to the teacher under
1-20     this section only to purchase supplies to be used in teaching a
1-21     class or course the teacher is assigned to teach.  The teacher may
1-22     purchase any supplies the teacher selects from any supplier the
1-23     teacher selects.
1-24           (e)  A school district may not require a teacher to use money
 2-1     provided to the teacher under this section to purchase supplies
 2-2     traditionally provided by the district.
 2-3           (f)  A teacher who is employed by a district for less than a
 2-4     full school year or on a part-time basis, a person who is employed
 2-5     by a school district as a substitute teacher for at least a
 2-6     six-week period, or a student teacher who is assigned to teach for
 2-7     at least a six-week period without a supervising teacher in the
 2-8     classroom is entitled to receive money under this section as
 2-9     provided by Subsection (g).
2-10           (g)  A school district shall apportion the amount to which a
2-11     full-time teacher is entitled under Subsection (b) so that:
2-12                 (1)  a teacher who is employed by a district for less
2-13     than a full school year or on a part-time basis, including a
2-14     substitute teacher who is entitled to money under Subsection (f),
2-15     receives a portion of that amount in the same ratio that the
2-16     portion of the school year the teacher teaches  bears to the full
2-17     school year; and
2-18                 (2)  a student teacher who is entitled to money under
2-19     Subsection (f) receives a portion of that amount in the same ratio
2-20     that the portion of the school year the student teacher teaches
2-21     without a supervising teacher in the classroom bears to the full
2-22     school year.
2-23           (h)  A school district may administer an allotment under this
2-24     section as the district determines best meets the needs of the
2-25     district, including by providing money to the teacher before the
2-26     teacher purchases supplies or by reimbursing the teacher for money
2-27     spent on supplies. The district may require a teacher to provide
 3-1     receipts for purchases made with money allotted  under this
 3-2     section.
 3-3           (i)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
 3-4     implement this section, including rules establishing reporting
 3-5     requirements for school districts and determining the number of
 3-6     full-time equivalent teachers in a district.
 3-7           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.