By: Garcia  S.B. No. 195
         (In the Senate - Filed November 14, 2016; January 25, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
  May 1, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 1; May 1, 2017, sent
  to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 195 By:  Lucio
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to funding under the transportation allotment for public
  school students subject to a high risk of violence while walking to
  school.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as
  follows:
         (d)  A district or county may apply for and on approval of the
  commissioner receive an additional amount of up to 10 percent of its
  regular transportation allotment to be used for:
               (1)  the transportation of children living within two
  miles of the school they attend who would be subject to hazardous
  traffic conditions or a high risk of violence if they walked to
  school; or
               (2)  programs under which children living in an area
  described by Subdivision (1) are escorted by adults as they walk to
  school.
         (d-1)  For purposes of Subsection (d), each [Each] board of
  trustees shall provide to the commissioner an explanation [the
  definition] of the hazardous traffic conditions or areas presenting
  a high risk of violence applicable to that district and shall
  identify the specific hazardous or high-risk areas for which the
  allocation is requested. A hazardous traffic condition exists
  where no walkway is provided and children must walk along or cross a
  freeway or expressway, an underpass, an overpass or a bridge, an
  uncontrolled major traffic artery, an industrial or commercial
  area, or another comparable condition. An area presents a high risk
  of violence if law enforcement records indicate a high incidence of
  violent crimes in the area.
         SECTION 2.  The commissioner of education is required to
  implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates money
  specifically for that purpose.  If the legislature does not
  appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commissioner
  of education may, but is not required to, implement this Act using
  other appropriations available for the purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
  * * * * *