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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grants to school district and countywide public school |
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transportation systems to be used to pay costs in purchasing school |
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buses capable of using propane as 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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PROPANE FUEL. (a) The commissioner by rule shall establish a |
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program under which the commissioner may award to school districts |
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and to countywide public school transportation systems grants to be |
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used to pay costs in purchasing school buses capable of using |
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propane as fuel. |
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(b) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not |
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exceed $10,000. |
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(c) The commissioner may adopt any rule necessary to |
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administer this section and by rule shall: |
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(1) adopt an application procedure and form that a |
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school district or countywide transportation system must use in |
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applying for a grant under this section; |
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(2) adopt eligibility criteria for awarding a grant; |
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(3) adopt criteria for selecting among school |
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districts or countywide transportation systems if there are more |
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eligible districts or systems that apply for a grant than money |
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available to award a grant to each eligible district or system; |
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(4) establish the amount of a grant or adopt criteria |
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for determining grant amounts; and |
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(5) establish procedures for ensuring that a grant |
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award is used by a district or countywide transportation system |
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only in purchasing a school bus capable of using propane as fuel. |
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(d) Subsection (c)(5) 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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(e) 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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(f) 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. |