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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of regional advisory councils on |
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state educational grant funding to review and report concerning |
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state grants awarded for public educational programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle I, Title 2, Education Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 49 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 49. REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS ON STATE GRANT FUNDING |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 49.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Council" means a regional advisory council on |
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state grant funding. |
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(2) "Public educational program" means any public |
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preschool, kindergarten through grade 12, or adult education |
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program. |
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(3) "State grant" includes any grant awarded by the |
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state regardless of whether the grant funds originated with the |
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state or another source. |
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Sec. 49.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCILS; COMPOSITION. (a) |
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For each regional education service center region established under |
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Section 8.001, a regional advisory council on state grant funding |
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shall be established to review and report concerning state grants |
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awarded for public educational programs. |
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(b) Each council is composed of 15 members. The governor, |
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lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives |
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shall each appoint five persons to each council. |
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Sec. 49.003. ELIGIBILITY FOR APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP. |
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To be eligible for appointment and to serve on a council, a person |
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must reside in the boundaries of that council region. |
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Sec. 49.004. TERMS OF OFFICE. Members of a council serve |
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staggered four-year terms. A member may be reappointed. |
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Sec. 49.005. OFFICERS. Each calendar year, at the first |
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meeting that is held after February 1, a council shall elect from |
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among the council members a president, vice president, and |
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secretary. An officer serves a one-year term. |
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Sec. 49.006. VACANCY. A vacancy in a position on a council |
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shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by the |
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appointing official for that position. |
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Sec. 49.007. COMPENSATION. Council members serve without |
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compensation. |
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Sec. 49.008. MEETINGS. (a) Meetings of a council shall be |
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held at the call of the president. |
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(b) Council meetings shall be open to the public. |
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Sec. 49.009. APPLICABILITY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE LAW. |
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Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to a council. |
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Sec. 49.010. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. A council may |
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accept gifts, grants, and donations to accomplish the council's |
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purposes. |
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[Sections 49.011-49.050 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER B. COUNCIL DUTIES |
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Sec. 49.051. DETERMINATIONS. For each school year, a |
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council shall determine for the council's region: |
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(1) the total amount of state grants awarded for |
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public educational programs in that school year; |
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(2) the specific source of each grant awarded; |
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(3) the amount, if any, of the increase in state grant |
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funds awarded for public educational programs for that year over |
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the amount awarded for the 2009-2010 school year; |
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(4) the purpose for which each grant was awarded and |
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the purpose for which the grant was used; |
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(5) the manner in which the purpose or use relates to |
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the region's educational or workforce needs; and |
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(6) if the term for which a grant was awarded has |
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ended, the effect of the grant award funding on the program for |
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which the grant award funds were used. |
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Sec. 49.052. REPORTS. Not later than January 1 of each |
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year, a council shall submit to the agency a written report that |
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includes each determination for the preceding school year made |
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under Section 49.051. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2009, the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall appoint members to the regional advisory |
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councils on state educational grant funding as provided under |
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Section 49.002, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 49.004, Education Code, as |
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added by this Act, in making the initial appointments to each |
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regional advisory council: |
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(1) the governor shall appoint: |
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(A) three members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2012; and |
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(B) two members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2014; |
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(2) the lieutenant governor shall appoint: |
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(A) two members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2012; and |
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(B) three members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2014; and |
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(3) the speaker of the house of representatives shall |
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appoint: |
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(A) three members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2012; and |
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(B) two members to terms expiring February 1, |
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2014. |
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(c) A regional advisory council on state grant funding shall |
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make the initial determinations and reports required by Subchapter |
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B, Chapter 49, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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January 1, 2011, based on grants awarded for the 2009-2010 school |
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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. |