By Shapleigh                                           S.B. No. 927
         77R6458 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the transfer or donation of data processing equipment
 1-3     to certain public school students.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 32, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter C to read as follows:
 1-7       SUBCHAPTER C. TRANSFER OF DATA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT TO STUDENTS
 1-8           Sec. 32.101.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "data
 1-9     processing" has the meaning assigned by Section 2054.003,
1-10     Government Code.
1-11           Sec. 32.102.  AUTHORITY.  (a)  As provided by this
1-12     subchapter, a school district or open-enrollment charter school may
1-13     transfer to a student enrolled in the district or school:
1-14                 (1)  any data processing equipment donated to the
1-15     district or school, including equipment donated by:
1-16                       (A)  a private donor; or
1-17                       (B)  a state eleemosynary institution or a state
1-18     agency under Section 2175.126, Government Code;
1-19                 (2)  any equipment purchased by the district or school,
1-20     to the extent consistent with Section 32.105; and
1-21                 (3)  any surplus or salvage equipment owned by the
1-22     district or school.
1-23           (b)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
1-24     accept:
 2-1                 (1)  donations of data processing equipment for
 2-2     transfer under this subchapter; and
 2-3                 (2)  any gifts, grants, or donations of money or
 2-4     services to purchase, refurbish, or repair data processing
 2-5     equipment under this subchapter.
 2-6           Sec. 32.103.  ELIGIBILITY; PREFERENCE.  (a)  A student is
 2-7     eligible to receive data processing equipment under this subchapter
 2-8     only if the student does not otherwise have home access to data
 2-9     processing equipment, as determined by the student's school
2-10     district or open-enrollment charter school.
2-11           (b)  In transferring data processing equipment to students, a
2-12     school district or open-enrollment charter school shall give
2-13     preference to educationally disadvantaged students.
2-14           Sec. 32.104.  REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSFER.  Before transferring
2-15     data processing equipment to a student, a school district or
2-16     open-enrollment charter school must:
2-17                 (1)  adopt rules governing transfers under this
2-18     subchapter, including provisions for technical assistance to the
2-19     student by the district or school;
2-20                 (2)  determine that the transfer serves a public
2-21     purpose and benefits the district or school; and
2-22                 (3)  remove from the equipment any offensive,
2-23     confidential, or proprietary information, as determined by the
2-24     district or school.
2-25           Sec. 32.105.  EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.  A school district
2-26     or open-enrollment charter school may spend public funds to:
2-27                 (1)  purchase, refurbish, or repair any data processing
 3-1     equipment transferred to a student under this subchapter; and
 3-2                 (2)  store, transport, or transfer data processing
 3-3     equipment under this subchapter.
 3-4           Sec. 32.106.  RETURN OF EQUIPMENT.  (a)  Except as provided
 3-5     by Subsection (b), a student who receives data processing equipment
 3-6     from a school district or open-enrollment charter school  under
 3-7     this subchapter shall return the equipment to the district or
 3-8     school not later than the earliest of:
 3-9                 (1)  five years after the date the student receives the
3-10     equipment;
3-11                 (2)  the date the student graduates;
3-12                 (3)  the date the student transfers to another school
3-13     district or open-enrollment charter school; or
3-14                 (4)  the date the student withdraws from school.
3-15           (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply if, at the time the
3-16     student is required to return the data processing equipment under
3-17     that subsection, the district or school determines that the
3-18     equipment has no marketable value.
3-19           SECTION 2.  Section 2175.126, Government Code, is amended to
3-20     read as follows:
3-21           Sec. 2175.126.  DISPOSITION OF DATA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT.
3-22     (a)  If a disposition of a state agency's surplus or salvage data
3-23     processing equipment is not made under this subchapter, the state
3-24     agency shall transfer the equipment to a school district or
3-25     open-enrollment charter school in this state under Subchapter C,
3-26     Chapter 32, Education Code, or to the Texas Department of Criminal
3-27     Justice. The state agency may not collect a fee or other
 4-1     reimbursement from the district, the school, or the Texas
 4-2     Department of Criminal Justice for the surplus or salvage data
 4-3     processing equipment.
 4-4           (b)  If a disposition of the surplus or salvage data
 4-5     processing equipment of a state eleemosynary institution or an
 4-6     institution or agency of higher education is not made under other
 4-7     law, the institution or agency shall transfer the equipment to a
 4-8     school district or open-enrollment charter school in this state
 4-9     under Subchapter C, Chapter 32, Education Code, or to the Texas
4-10     Department of Criminal Justice.  The institution or agency may not
4-11     collect a fee or other reimbursement from the district, the school,
4-12     or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the surplus or
4-13     salvage data processing equipment.
4-14           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
4-15     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
4-16     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
4-17     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
4-18     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.