80R6242 JRJ-D

By: Giddings H.B. No. 1778

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a grant program to promote good citizenship.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 7.030 to read as follows:

Sec. 7.030. GOOD CITIZENSHIP ACCOUNT; GRANTS. (a) The good citizenship account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. The account is composed of money deposited to the credit of the account under Article 103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure. The agency shall administer the account and shall spend money credited to the account only to make grants to benefit school district programs, including anger management programs and mediation programs, that deter violence and promote interpersonal skills.

(b) The commissioner shall make grants from the account to school districts as provided by this section for the promotion of good citizenship to district students.

(c) The commissioner by rule shall establish procedures for awarding grants. The rules must provide that:

(1) grants are awarded to school districts on an annual basis through a competitive process; and

(2) a school district may only receive a grant from money deposited to the credit of the good citizenship account that was received from a fine imposed for an offense that occurred within the district.

(d) To be eligible for a grant, a good citizenship program offered by a school district must include methods to deter violence and promote interpersonal skills among district students.

(e) The commissioner may adopt any rules necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. Article 103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(e) As provided by comptroller rule, the custodian of the county treasury shall remit to the comptroller for deposit into the good citizenship account created under Section 7.030, Education Code, money received from a fine imposed for an offense that:

(1) is a Class C misdemeanor under Section 22.01, Penal Code;

(2) does not involve:

(A) harassment, as defined by Section 37.001, Education Code; or

(B) violence, sexual conduct, or bodily injury;

(3) involves open-handed physical conduct between two or more students; and

(4) was committed by a person 11 years of age or younger.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Article 103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to a fine imposed on or after the effective date of this Act. A fine imposed before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the fine was imposed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. Not later than October 1, 2007, the comptroller shall adopt rules as necessary to implement Article 103.004(e), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.