By Hunter                                             H.B. No. 3590
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing the National Geographic Society Texas Fund
 1-3     for Geography Education.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter T to read as follows:
 1-7     SUBCHAPTER T. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY TEXAS FUND FOR GEOGRAPHY
 1-8                                  EDUCATION
 1-9           Sec. 61.920.  PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to:
1-10                 (1)  create an endowment to support geographic
1-11     education programs in Texas;
1-12                 (2)  improve the quality of geography education in
1-13     Texas; and
1-14                 (3)  promote a better understanding of Texas by all of
1-15     its citizens.
1-16           Sec. 61.921.  DEFINITIONS. In this Subchapter:
1-17                 (1)  "Texas Fund for Geography Education (Fund)" means
1-18     an endowment fund operated by the National Geographic Society of
1-19     Washington, D.C.
1-20                 (2)  "Board" means the Texas Higher Education
1-21     Coordinating Board.
1-22                 (3)  "Eligible Institution" means an institution of
1-23     higher education as described in Section 61.003 of this code.
 2-1           Sec. 61.922.  CREATION OF THE FUND. (1)  The Board is
 2-2     authorized to execute an agreement with the National Geographic
 2-3     Society to operate the fund.
 2-4                 (2)  The agreement shall include the following
 2-5     conditions:
 2-6                       (a)  appropriated funds shall be matched by funds
 2-7     from the National Geographic Society;
 2-8                       (b)  the National Geographic Society shall
 2-9     provide to the Board an annual report describing the Fund's
2-10     investments, earnings, operating procedures, and major programs;
2-11     and
2-12                       (c)  in the event that the Board determines that
2-13     the public purposes described in Section 61.920 are not being
2-14     realized, the fund shall be dissolved, and one-half of the current
2-15     value of the fund shall be returned to the Treasury.
2-16                 (3)  The Board is authorized to transfer to the
2-17     National Geographic Society any funds appropriated to it for that
2-18     purpose.
2-19           Sec. 61.923.  GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (1)
2-20     The Board shall appoint an advisory committee consisting of seven
2-21     persons who have expertise and an interest in geography education.
2-22                 (2)  The advisory committee shall solicit proposals
2-23     from Texas public institutions of higher education for use of any
2-24     proceeds of the fund and shall recommend to the Board those that
2-25     best meet the purposes described in Section 61.920 above.
2-26                 (3)  The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110,
 3-1     Government Code.
 3-2           Sec. 61.924.  REPORTING. Not later than December 1 of each
 3-3     even-numbered year the Board shall report to the Governor and the
 3-4     Legislature the current value of the Fund, the current membership
 3-5     of the advisory committee, and summaries of projects supported by
 3-6     proceeds of the Fund during that biennium and other information as
 3-7     appropriate.
 3-8           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, if funds
 3-9     are appropriated for the benefit of the Fund by the 77th
3-10     Legislature.