By Hunter H.B. No. 3590 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to establishing the Texas Fund for Geography Education to 1-3 support geography education at public, private, or independent 1-4 institutions of higher education. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-7 Subchapter X to read as follows: 1-8 SUBCHAPTER X. TEXAS FUND FOR 1-9 GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION 1-10 Sec. 61.941. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to: 1-11 (1) create an endowment to support geographic 1-12 education programs in Texas; 1-13 (2) improve the quality of geography education in 1-14 Texas; and 1-15 (3) promote a better understanding of Texas by all of 1-16 its residents. 1-17 Sec. 61.942. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "fund" means 1-18 the Texas Fund for Geography Education. 1-19 Sec. 61.943. FUND; GRANTS. (a) The board may enter into an 1-20 agreement with the National Geographic Society of Washington, D.C., 1-21 to operate an endowment fund for purposes of this subchapter to be 1-22 known as the Texas Fund for Geography Education. 1-23 (b) The agreement must include the following conditions: 1-24 (1) appropriated money may be deposited to the fund 2-1 only in an amount equal to matching funds deposited to the fund by 2-2 the National Geographic Society from other sources; 2-3 (2) the National Geographic Society shall provide to 2-4 the board an annual report describing the fund's investments, 2-5 earnings, operating procedures, and major programs; and 2-6 (3) if the board determines that the public purposes 2-7 described by Section 61.941 are not being accomplished, the fund 2-8 shall be dissolved and the fund balance shall be distributed as 2-9 follows: 2-10 (A) one-half to the general revenue fund; and 2-11 (B) the remainder to be returned to the donors 2-12 of any amount deposited to the fund for the preceding five years in 2-13 proportion to the amount of the donation, if the donor accepts the 2-14 return of the donation, and any remainder to the National 2-15 Geographic Society. 2-16 (c) The board may transfer to the National Geographic 2-17 Society for deposit to the fund any amount appropriated to the 2-18 board for that purpose. 2-19 (d) The National Geographic Society shall award grants from 2-20 the fund to institutions of higher education and private or 2-21 independent institutions of higher education as defined by Section 2-22 61.003(15) to promote the purposes of this subchapter. 2-23 Sec. 61.944. GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) 2-24 The board shall appoint an advisory committee consisting of seven 2-25 persons who have expertise and an interest in geography education 2-26 to assist the National Geographic Society in awarding grants from 2-27 the fund under this subchapter. 3-1 (b) The advisory committee on behalf of the National 3-2 Geographic Society shall solicit proposals from institutions of 3-3 higher education and private or independent institutions of higher 3-4 education as defined by Section 61.003(15) for use of proceeds from 3-5 the fund and shall recommend to the society those that best promote 3-6 the purposes of this subchapter. 3-7 (c) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110, 3-8 Government Code. 3-9 Sec. 61.945. REPORTING. Not later than December 1 of each 3-10 even-numbered year the board shall report to the governor and the 3-11 legislature: 3-12 (1) the value of the fund and the membership of the 3-13 advisory committee as of September 1 of that year; 3-14 (2) a summary of each project supported by a grant 3-15 from the fund during the preceding state fiscal biennium; and 3-16 (3) other information the board considers appropriate. 3-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-18 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-19 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-20 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-21 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.