BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1651

By: Oliveira

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note the often significant amount of money public school teachers spend on classroom supplies out of their own pockets and suggest that the program established to reimburse teachers for the cost of these supplies has been inadequately funded. H.B. 1651 seeks to address this issue by eliminating the program and requiring a public school district to reimburse each classroom teacher employed by the district up to $200 per school year for these purchases.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1651 repeals Education Code provisions relating to the classroom supply reimbursement program and amends the Education Code to require a public school district to reimburse each classroom teacher employed by the district up to $200 per school year for the cost of classroom supplies purchased by the teacher with the teacher's personal money for the benefit of the district's students. The bill applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

H.B. 1651 repeals Section 21.414, Education Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.