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.
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