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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to state savings and government efficiency through a |
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taxpayer savings grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. TAXPAYER SAVINGS GRANTS |
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Sec. 42.501. TAXPAYER SAVINGS GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Eligible student" means a school-age child who |
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resides in the state and who: |
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(A) is entering kindergarten or first grade; or |
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(B) attended a public school for all of the |
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academic year immediately preceding initial participation in the |
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program, or is a prior participant in the program. |
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(b) A parent or legal guardian of an eligible student who |
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agrees to accept reimbursement in an amount that is less than the |
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state average maintenance and operations expenditures per student |
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may receive reimbursement from the state for the tuition paid for |
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the enrollment of the eligible student at a private school in an |
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amount that is the lesser of: |
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(1) the tuition paid; or |
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(2) 60 percent of the state average maintenance and |
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operations expenditures per student. |
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(c) Money from the available school fund and federal funds |
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may not be used for reimbursement under this section. |
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(d) Private schools that parents voluntarily choose to |
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attend, with or without governmental assistance, will not be |
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required to comply with any state law or regulation governing its |
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educational program that was not in effect on January 1, 2013." |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable, but not later than the |
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45th day after the effective date of this Act, the comptroller, in |
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coordination with the commissioner of education, shall adopt rules |
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to implement the Taxpayer Savings Grant Program under Section |
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42.501, Education Code, as added by this Act, including rules to |
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prevent fraud in financial transactions under the program and to |
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determine the net savings resulting from implementation of the |
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program. Such regulations shall reconcile payments to all schools |
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within the same fiscal year, or one month after. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013, if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for effect on that |
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date, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislation session. |