78R8399 MCK-D

By:  Hupp                                                         H.B. No. 2984



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the administration of the Communities In Schools 
program.       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 264.752, Family Code, is amended to read 
as follows:     
	Sec. 264.752.  STATEWIDE OPERATION OF PROGRAM.  It is the 
intent of the legislature that the Communities In Schools program 
operate throughout this state.  It is also the intent of the 
legislature that programs established under Chapter 305, Labor 
Code, [and its predecessor statute, the Texas Unemployment 
Compensation Act (Article 5221b-9d, Vernon's Texas Civil 
Statutes),] and programs established under this subchapter shall 
remain eligible to participate in the Communities In Schools 
program if funds are available and if their performance meets the 
criteria established by the agency [department] for renewal of 
their contracts.
	SECTION 2.  Section 264.753, Family Code, is amended to read 
as follows:     
	Sec. 264.753.  STATE DIRECTOR.  The commissioner of 
education [executive director of the department] shall designate a 
state director for the Communities In Schools program.
	SECTION 3.  Section 264.756(a), Family Code, is amended to 
read as follows:  
	(a)  The agency [department] shall develop and implement an 
equitable formula for the funding of local Communities In Schools 
programs.  The formula may provide for the reduction of funds 
annually contributed by the state to a local program by an amount 
not more than 50 percent of the amount contributed by the state for 
the first year of the program. The formula must consider the 
financial resources of individual communities and school 
districts.  Savings accomplished through the implementation of the 
formula may be used to extend services to counties and 
municipalities currently not served by a local program or to extend 
services to counties and municipalities currently served by an 
existing local program.
	SECTION 4.  Section 264.758, Family Code, is amended to read 
as follows:     
	Sec. 264.758.  DONATIONS TO PROGRAM.  (a)  The agency
[department] may accept a donation of services or money or other 
property that the agency [department] determines furthers the 
lawful objectives of the agency [department] in connection with the 
Communities In Schools program.
	(b)  Each donation, with the name of the donor and the 
purpose of the donation, must be reported in the public records of 
the agency [department].
	SECTION 5.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                      
	(b)  Not later than January 1, 2004, the Texas Education 
Agency and the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services 
shall enter into a memorandum of understanding under which the 
Communities In Schools program is transferred to the Texas 
Education Agency.  The memorandum required by this section shall 
prescribe the manner by which the transfer shall be accomplished 
and provide for the transfer to the Texas Education Agency of any 
money appropriated to the Department of Protective and Regulatory 
Services for the administration of the program and the transfer of 
any files, records, equipment, property, and personnel necessary to 
accomplish the transfer of the program.  The transfer required by 
this section must be completed not later than March 1, 2004.
	(c)  In addition to the memorandum of understanding required 
by Subsection (b) of this section, the Texas Education Agency and 
the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services shall adopt a 
new memorandum of understanding under Section 264.755, Family Code, 
to reflect the changes in responsibilities of the two agencies as a 
result of the transfer of the Communities In Schools program to the 
Texas Education Agency.