TO: | Honorable Tracy King, Chair, House Committee on Border & International Affairs |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB2235 by Guillen (Relating to the creation of a technology center grant program for rural counties.), As Introduced |
The bill would provide technology center grants, subject to the availability of funds, to be awarded to public institutions of higher education, public high schools, and governmental entities for the development and operation of technology centers which provide: community access to technology; computer literacy programs; educational programs designed to provide concurrent enrollment credit for high school students taking postsecondary courses in information and emerging technologies; training for careers in technology-related fields and other highly skilled industries; and technology-related continuing and adult education programs.
The bill would allow the Office of Rural Community Affairs to seek, receive, and spend money received through an appropriation, grant, donation, or reimbursement from any public or private source to implement the provisions of the bill.
The bill would require that not later than October 1, 2007, the executive committee of the Office of Rural Community Affairs shall establish the rural technology center grant program, and the Office of Rural Community Affairs shall award the first grants under that program no later than January 1, 2008, subject to the availability of program funding.
Based on information provided by the Office of Rural Community Affairs, it is assumed that costs related to the duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be covered by utilizing existing resources. At this time, no additional funding has been identified for the purposes of the bill.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house; otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2007.
Source Agencies: | 357 Office of Rural Community Affairs
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LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, MW, AH
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