1-1 By: Ellis S.B. No. 701
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 14, 2001; February 15, 2001,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
1-4 February 21, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas
1-5 5, Nays 0; February 21, 2001, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to agricultural projects in certain urban schools.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Section 46.001, Agriculture Code, as added by
1-11 Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
1-12 is amended to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 46.001. CREATION. Consistent with this chapter, the
1-14 department by rule shall develop a program to award grants to
1-15 public elementary schools located in large urban school districts
1-16 for the purpose of establishing:
1-17 (1) demonstration agricultural projects; or
1-18 (2) other projects designed to foster an understanding
1-19 and awareness of agriculture.
1-20 SECTION 2. Section 46.002, Agriculture Code, as added by
1-21 Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
1-22 is amended to read as follows:
1-23 Sec. 46.002. ELIGIBILITY. Subject to available funds, a
1-24 public elementary school is eligible to receive a grant under this
1-25 chapter if the school:
1-26 (1) is located in a school district with an enrollment
1-27 of at least 49,000 students [, except that if more than $25,000 is
1-28 appropriated for the purposes of this chapter, a school is eligible
1-29 if it is located in a school district with an enrollment of at
1-30 least 45,000 students]; and
1-31 (2) submits to the department, at the time and in the
1-32 form required by the department, a proposal for a demonstration
1-33 agricultural project that includes:
1-34 (A) a description of the proposed project;
1-35 (B) a schedule of projected costs for the
1-36 project; and
1-37 (C) a statement of the educational benefits of
1-38 the project, including how the project will improve understanding
1-39 of agriculture.
1-40 SECTION 3. Section 46.003, Agriculture Code, as added by
1-41 Chapter 975, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
1-42 is amended to read as follows:
1-43 Sec. 46.003. LIMITS. [(a)] The department may not award
1-44 more than $2,500 to a school under this chapter in a school year.
1-45 [(b) The department may not award a grant to more than one
1-46 school within the same school district in a school year.]
1-47 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-48 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-49 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
1-50 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-51 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-52 * * * * *