1-1     By:  Van de Putte                                      S.B. No. 903
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 23, 2001; February 26, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
 1-4     May 8, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8,
 1-5     Nays 0; May 8, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the establishment and use of a women's athletic
 1-9     development fund and a study of women's athletic development
1-10     practices at institutions of higher education.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-13     Subchapter V to read as follows:
1-14              SUBCHAPTER V.  WOMEN'S ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT FUND
1-15           Sec. 51.831.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-16                 (1)  "Board" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-17     61.003.
1-18                 (2)  "Fund" means the women's athletic development fund
1-19     established under this subchapter.
1-20                 (3)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
1-21     assigned by Section 61.003.
1-22           Sec. 51.832.  ADMINISTRATION OF FUND.  The women's athletic
1-23     development fund is a fund in the state treasury.  The board shall
1-24     administer the fund.
1-25           Sec. 51.833.  USE OF FUND.  The board shall allocate money in
1-26     the fund to institutions of higher education to support women's
1-27     athletic development programs that are operated by the institution
1-28     on a collaborative basis with one or more public high schools in
1-29     this state.
1-30           Sec. 51.834.  CRITERIA IN SELECTING PROGRAMS.  In selecting
1-31     programs to be supported with money from the fund, the board shall
1-32     give priority to programs addressing the needs of public high
1-33     school students whose economic conditions limit their access to
1-34     athletic facilities, programs, and opportunities.  The board shall
1-35     also consider other relevant factors, including whether a program:
1-36                 (1)  promotes gender equity;
1-37                 (2)  includes the participation of collegiate-level
1-38     coaches and athletes, to the extent the participation is allowed by
1-39     the rules of the national intercollegiate athletic association of
1-40     which the institution of higher education operating the program is
1-41     a member; and
1-42                 (3)  has a history of increasing athletic
1-43     opportunities.
1-44           Sec. 51.835.  FUNDING.  The board may not implement this
1-45     subchapter unless money is specifically appropriated for that
1-46     purpose.
1-47           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-48     Board shall conduct a best practices study of women's athletic
1-49     development programs currently operated by public institutions of
1-50     higher education  in Texas and in other states and shall make its
1-51     findings and recommendations available not later than December 1,
1-52     2002, in a report to the legislature and to the public institutions
1-53     of higher education in this state.
1-54           (b)  The report shall include an analysis of the effect of
1-55     the programs studied under Subsection (a) of this section on
1-56     subsequent student enrollment in and academic performance at public
1-57     or private institutions of higher education.
1-58           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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