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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grants to certain school districts and countywide |
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public school transportation systems to be used to pay costs in |
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purchasing school buses capable of using natural gas or propane as |
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fuel. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 34, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 34.0051 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 34.0051. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PURCHASE OF BUSES USING |
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NATURAL GAS OR PROPANE FUEL. (a) The commissioner by rule shall |
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establish a program under which the commissioner may award to |
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school districts and to countywide public school transportation |
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systems grants to be used to pay costs in purchasing school buses |
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capable of using natural gas or propane as fuel to replace school |
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buses that use diesel fuel. |
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(b) The program established under Subsection (a) must |
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provide for: |
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(1) awarding a grant only to a school district or |
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countywide transportation system located in whole or in part in an |
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area designated as a nonattainment area under Section 107(d) of the |
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federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7407(d)); |
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(2) ensuring that grant money is used by a district or |
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countywide transportation system only in purchasing a school bus |
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capable of using natural gas or propane as fuel to replace a school |
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bus that uses diesel fuel; and |
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(3) limiting the amount of the grant to an amount that |
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is the lesser of: |
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(A) $40,000; and |
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(B) the difference, as determined under |
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commissioner rule, between the average cost of a school bus capable |
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of using natural gas or propane as fuel and a substantially similar |
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school bus that uses diesel fuel. |
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(c) Subsection (b)(2) includes the purchase of a school bus |
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in the manner provided by Section 34.005 or 45.001(a)(1)(D). |
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(d) A grant awarded under this section is in addition to a |
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transportation allotment under Section 42.155. |
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(e) A grant awarded under this section shall be paid for |
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with funds appropriated to the agency that may be used for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |