80R2673 SLO-D

By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 373

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to standards for vendors that sell, lease, or license education technology products to school districts.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 44, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 44.046 to read as follows:

Sec. 44.046. EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS. (a) In this section, "education technology products" includes software and other education technology used to promote learning in public schools.

(b) The agency, in coordination with the Department of Information Resources, shall develop standards that a vendor must meet in order to sell, lease, or license education technology products to a school district. The standards must address:

(1) the quality of the vendor's products;

(2) the quality of research used in developing the vendor's products; and

(3) the financial stability of the vendor.

(c) The agency shall make available to each school district a list of vendors that meet the standards developed under this section.

(d) A school district may not enter into a contract to purchase, lease, or license education technology products from a vendor that does not meet the standards developed under this section.

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

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2008, the Texas Education Agency shall complete the development of standards for vendors that sell education technology products to school districts as required by Section 44.046, Education Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Section 44.046, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a contract entered into by a school district on or after February 1, 2008. A contract entered into by a school district before February 1, 2008, is governed by the law in effect at the time the contract was entered into, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.