81R9774 CAS-D
 
  By: Naishtat H.B. No. 4553
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to special textbooks for the education of blind and
  visually impaired students in public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 31.028, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  The publisher of an adopted textbook shall provide the
  agency with computerized textbook files for the production of
  Braille textbooks or other versions of textbooks to be used by
  students with disabilities, on request of the State Board of
  Education. A publisher shall arrange computerized textbook files:
               (1)  for the production of Braille mathematics or
  science textbooks in LaTeX or Mathematical Markup Language (MathML)
  format unless the board specifies a more recent format; and
               (2)  for the production of other versions of textbooks
  to be used by students with disabilities in one of several optional
  formats specified by the board [State Board of Education].
         (c-1)  The State Board of Education shall encourage school
  districts and regional education service centers to assist persons
  in developing or improving skills in transcribing textbooks into
  Braille, including offering incentives to those persons.
         SECTION 2.  Section 31.028(b), Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies to any computerized textbook files for the
  production of Braille mathematics or science textbooks provided by
  a textbook publisher on or after September 1, 2009.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.