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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Technology Lending Program to |
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provide grants to school districts and open-enrollment charter |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. TECHNOLOGY LENDING PROGRAM GRANTS |
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Sec. 32.301. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The |
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commissioner may establish a grant program under which grants are |
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awarded to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to |
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implement a technology lending program to provide students access |
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to equipment necessary to access and use electronic instructional |
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materials. |
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(b) A school district or an open-enrollment charter school |
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may apply to the commissioner to participate in the grant program. |
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In awarding grants under this subchapter for each school year, the |
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commissioner shall consider: |
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(1) the availability of existing equipment to students |
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in the district or school; |
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(2) other funding available to the district or school; |
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and |
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(3) the district's or school's technology plan. |
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(c) The commissioner may determine the terms of a grant |
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awarded under this section, including limits on the grant amount |
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and approved uses of grant funds. |
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(d) The commissioner may recover funds not used in |
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accordance with the terms of a grant by withholding amounts from any |
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state funds otherwise due to the school district or open-enrollment |
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charter school. |
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Sec. 32.302. FUNDING. (a) The commissioner may use not |
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more than $25 million from the state instructional materials fund |
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under Section 31.021 each state fiscal biennium or a different |
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amount determined by appropriation to administer a grant program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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(b) The cost of administering a grant program under this |
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subchapter must be paid from funds described by Subsection (a). |
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Sec. 32.303. USE OF GRANT FUNDS. (a) A school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may use a grant awarded under |
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Section 32.301 or other local funds to purchase, maintain, and |
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insure equipment for a technology lending program. |
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(b) Equipment purchased by a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school with a grant awarded under Section |
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32.301 is the property of the district or school. |
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Sec. 32.304. REVIEW OF PROGRAM. Not later than January 1, |
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2019, the commissioner shall review the grant program established |
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under this subchapter and submit a report to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the presiding officers of the standing committees in the senate |
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and house primarily responsible for public education. This section |
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expires September 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2017. |