1-1 By: Hunter (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.B. No. 3590 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 2, 2001; 1-3 May 3, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Education; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to establishing the Texas Fund for Geography Education to 1-9 support geography education at public, private, or independent 1-10 institutions of higher education. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-13 Subchapter X to read as follows: 1-14 SUBCHAPTER X. TEXAS FUND FOR 1-15 GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION 1-16 Sec. 61.941. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to: 1-17 (1) create an endowment to support geographic 1-18 education programs in Texas; 1-19 (2) improve the quality of geography education in 1-20 Texas; and 1-21 (3) promote a better understanding of Texas by all of 1-22 its residents. 1-23 Sec. 61.942. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "fund" means 1-24 the Texas Fund for Geography Education. 1-25 Sec. 61.943. FUND; GRANTS. (a) The board may enter into an 1-26 agreement with the National Geographic Society of Washington, D.C., 1-27 to operate an endowment fund for purposes of this subchapter to be 1-28 known as the Texas Fund for Geography Education. 1-29 (b) The agreement must include the following conditions: 1-30 (1) appropriated money may be deposited to the fund 1-31 only in an amount equal to matching funds deposited to the fund by 1-32 the National Geographic Society from other sources; 1-33 (2) the National Geographic Society shall provide to 1-34 the board an annual report describing the fund's investments, 1-35 earnings, operating procedures, and major programs; and 1-36 (3) if the board determines that the public purposes 1-37 described by Section 61.941 are not being accomplished, the fund 1-38 shall be dissolved and the fund balance shall be distributed as 1-39 follows: 1-40 (A) one-half to the general revenue fund; and 1-41 (B) the remainder to be returned to the donors 1-42 of any amount deposited to the fund for the preceding five years in 1-43 proportion to the amount of the donation, if the donor accepts the 1-44 return of the donation, and any remainder to the National 1-45 Geographic Society. 1-46 (c) The board may transfer to the National Geographic 1-47 Society for deposit to the fund any amount appropriated to the 1-48 board for that purpose. 1-49 (d) The National Geographic Society shall award grants from 1-50 the fund to institutions of higher education and private or 1-51 independent institutions of higher education as defined by Section 1-52 61.003(15) to promote the purposes of this subchapter. 1-53 Sec. 61.944. GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) 1-54 The board shall appoint an advisory committee consisting of seven 1-55 persons who have expertise and an interest in geography education 1-56 to assist the National Geographic Society in awarding grants from 1-57 the fund under this subchapter. 1-58 (b) The advisory committee on behalf of the National 1-59 Geographic Society shall solicit proposals from institutions of 1-60 higher education and private or independent institutions of higher 1-61 education as defined by Section 61.003(15) for use of proceeds from 1-62 the fund and shall recommend to the society those that best promote 1-63 the purposes of this subchapter. 1-64 (c) The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 2110, 2-1 Government Code. 2-2 Sec. 61.945. REPORTING. Not later than December 1 of each 2-3 even-numbered year the board shall report to the governor and the 2-4 legislature: 2-5 (1) the value of the fund and the membership of the 2-6 advisory committee as of September 1 of that year; 2-7 (2) a summary of each project supported by a grant 2-8 from the fund during the preceding state fiscal biennium; and 2-9 (3) other information the board considers appropriate. 2-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-11 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-12 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-13 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-14 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-15 * * * * *