By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 701
         77R2482 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to agricultural projects in certain urban schools.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Section 46.001, Agriculture Code, as added by
 1-5     Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
 1-6     is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 46.001.  CREATION. Consistent with this chapter, the
 1-8     department by rule shall develop a program to award grants to
 1-9     public elementary schools located in large urban school districts
1-10     for the purpose of establishing:
1-11                 (1)  demonstration agricultural projects; or
1-12                 (2)  other projects designed to foster an understanding
1-13     and awareness of agriculture.
1-14           SECTION 2. Section 46.002, Agriculture Code, as added by
1-15     Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
1-16     is amended to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 46.002.  ELIGIBILITY. Subject to available funds, a
1-18     public elementary school is eligible to receive a grant under this
1-19     chapter if the school:
1-20                 (1)  is located in a school district with an enrollment
1-21     of at least 49,000 students [, except that if more than $25,000 is
1-22     appropriated for the purposes of this chapter, a school is eligible
1-23     if it is located in a school district with an enrollment of at
1-24     least 45,000 students]; and
 2-1                 (2)  submits to the department, at the time and in the
 2-2     form required by the department, a proposal for a demonstration
 2-3     agricultural project that includes:
 2-4                       (A)  a description of the proposed project;
 2-5                       (B)  a schedule of projected costs for the
 2-6     project; and
 2-7                       (C)  a statement of the educational benefits of
 2-8     the project, including how the project will improve understanding
 2-9     of agriculture.
2-10           SECTION 3. Section 46.003, Agriculture Code, as added by
2-11     Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
2-12     is amended to read as follows:
2-13           Sec. 46.003.  LIMITS. [(a)] The department may not award more
2-14     than $2,500 to a school under this chapter in a school year.
2-15           [(b) The department may not award a grant to more than one
2-16     school within the same school district in a school year.]
2-17           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-18     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-19     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-20     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-21     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.