C.S.H.B. 1844 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1844 By: Grusendorf Public Education Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, many teachers are having to use personal funds in order to adequately supply their classrooms, and are not being reimbursed for such expenses. PURPOSE The purpose of C.S.H.B. 1844 is to establish a reimbursement program for teachers that expend personal funds for classroom supplies. The funds provided under this program are to be used solely for the benefit of students. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 21.413, Education Code) and SECTION 2 of this bill. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1844 amends the Education Code to require the commissioner of education (commissioner) to establish a program where a classroom teacher that expends personal funds for classroom supplies is reimbursed. The bill requires a school district to match these reimbursement funds with local funds. The bill requires that funds provided under this program be used for the benefit of students and at the discretion of the classroom teacher. The bill prohibits funds provided under the program from replacing local funds being used for the same purpose. The bill requires the commissioner to adopt rules for the allocation of funds and to identify state and federal funds eligible for use under this program. The bill requires the commissioner to establish the reimbursement program no later than the 2005-2006 school year. The commissioner is authorized to implement the program only if funds are specifically appropriated by the legislature for the program or if the commissioner identifies available funds. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 1844 modifies the original by adding provisions that authorize the commissioner to implement the program only if funds are specifically appropriated by the legislature for the program or if the commissioner identifies available funds. C.S.H.B. 1844 modifies the original by requiring the commissioner to establish the reimbursement program no later than the 2005-2006 school year.