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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to responsibility for public school textbooks and |
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technological equipment and to failure by students to return |
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textbooks or technological equipment. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 31.104(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Each student, or the student's parent or guardian, is |
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responsible for each textbook, including an electronic textbook, |
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and all technological equipment not returned by the student. A |
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student who fails to return all textbooks, including electronic |
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textbooks, and technological equipment forfeits the right to free |
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textbooks, including electronic textbooks, and technological |
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equipment until each textbook, including an electronic textbook, |
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and all technological equipment previously issued but not returned |
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is paid for by the student, parent, or guardian. As provided by |
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policy of the board of trustees or governing body, a school district |
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or open-enrollment charter school may waive or reduce the payment |
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requirement if the student is from a low-income family. The |
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district or school shall allow the student to use textbooks, |
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including electronic textbooks, and technological equipment at |
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school during each school day. If a textbook, including an |
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electronic textbook, or technological equipment is not returned or |
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paid for, the district or school may withhold the student's |
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records. A district or school may not, under this subsection, |
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prevent a student from graduating, participating in a graduation |
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ceremony, or receiving a diploma. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |