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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a legislative outreach program requiring members of the |
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legislature to visit public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter Z to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 301.901. LEGISLATORS BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM. (a) |
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Each house of the legislature shall establish a program under which |
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members of that house visit public schools in their legislative |
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districts to inform students about the Texas Legislature and the |
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role of legislators in the legislative process, with emphasis on |
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the perspective and experiences of the individual legislator in |
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that process and the pressures, conflicts, and difficulties that a |
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legislator faces in addressing important public matters. Each |
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house shall provide its members with the resources necessary to |
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enable each member to effectively participate in the program, |
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including providing the member with references to available |
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resources developed by the National Conference of State |
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Legislatures or other appropriate entities. |
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(b) Under the program, each member of the legislature must |
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be required to visit at least five public schools in the member's |
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district during the two-year term of each legislature. To the |
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extent practicable, during that period a member shall visit at |
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least one public school in each accreditation status recognized by |
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the commissioner of education. Each visit must be planned in |
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advance with the participating school and must include one or more |
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opportunities for the member to interact with students in a |
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discussion or activity that furthers the purposes of the program. |
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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. |