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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a competitive grant program to fund promotion of early |
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literacy programs in certain communities in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 73, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE EARLY LITERACY |
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Sec. 73.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Competitive grant program" means the competitive |
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grant program to promote early literacy established under this |
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subchapter. |
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(2) "Health care practitioner" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 112.001, Occupations Code. |
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(3) "Health science center" means The University of |
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Texas Health Science Center at Houston. |
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(4) "Literacy program" means a program to promote |
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early literacy. |
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Sec. 73.702. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO |
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PROMOTE EARLY LITERACY. (a) Subject to Section 73.709, The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston shall |
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establish a competitive grant program to promote early literacy |
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through which the health science center will award grants for the |
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implementation of literacy programs, or the expansion of existing |
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programs, and for the operation of those programs for a period of |
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not less than two years. |
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(b) The health science center shall award grants under the |
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program to applicants, including applicants operating existing |
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programs, in a manner that ensures that the literacy programs |
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collectively operate in multiple communities that are |
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geographically distributed throughout this state. |
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Sec. 73.703. LITERACY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. A literacy |
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program funded through a grant awarded under this subchapter must: |
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(1) consult and use as a guide the program model |
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developed by the Reach Out and Read National Center, including any |
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clinical, programmatic, and data collection requirements of that |
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model; |
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(2) require that health care practitioners who |
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participate in the literacy program: |
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(A) in conjunction with performing well-child |
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examinations, provide books to children and encourage parents to |
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read to their children to develop preliteracy skills; |
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(B) maintain waiting rooms that encourage |
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children to read; and |
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(C) provide services designed to increase the |
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school readiness of children receiving program services; and |
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(3) partner with local adult literacy providers to |
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encourage parent literacy in appropriate circumstances. |
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Sec. 73.704. APPLICATION. (a) A public or private entity, |
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including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of |
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this state, may apply for a grant under this subchapter. |
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(b) To apply for a grant, an applicant must submit a written |
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application to the health science center on a form prescribed by the |
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health science center in consultation with the Reach Out and Read |
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National Center. |
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Sec. 73.705. LITERACY PROGRAM GUIDELINES. The health |
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science center, with the assistance of the Reach Out and Read |
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National Center, shall publish guidelines for the literacy programs |
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funded under this subchapter. The guidelines may follow the Reach |
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Out and Read national program model standards and guidelines that |
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have been tested and replicated in multiple communities. |
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Sec. 73.706. USE OF PROGRAM MONEY. (a) In addition to |
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awarding grants under this subchapter, the health science center |
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may use program money to: |
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(1) administer the competitive grant program; and |
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(2) purchase or contract to purchase discounted books |
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for use by grant recipients. |
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(b) A grant recipient may use grant money awarded under this |
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subchapter only to cover costs related to implementing or expanding |
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and operating a literacy program, including costs related to: |
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(1) administering the literacy program; |
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(2) training and managing health care practitioners |
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who volunteer to participate in the literacy program; and |
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(3) purchasing or contracting to purchase discounted |
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books for use in the literacy program. |
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Sec. 73.707. PROGRAM EVALUATION; BIENNIAL COMMITTEE |
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REPORTS. (a) The health science center, with the assistance of |
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the Reach Out and Read National Center, shall prepare and submit a |
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biennial report, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered |
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year, to the senate committee on education, or its successor, and |
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the house public education committee, or its successor, regarding |
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the grants awarded during the preceding two state fiscal years. |
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(b) The report required under Subsection (a) must include: |
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(1) the number of health care practitioners who |
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participate in the program; |
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(2) the number of children receiving literacy program |
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services as a result of the program; and |
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(3) the amount of each grant awarded to a health care |
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practitioner under the program. |
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(c) On request, each grant recipient shall timely collect |
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and provide data and any other information required by the health |
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science center to monitor and evaluate the program, including |
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recipient participation in the program, and to prepare the report |
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required by this section. |
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Sec. 73.708. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) The |
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health science center shall actively seek and apply for any |
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available federal money to assist in financing the competitive |
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grant program established under this subchapter. |
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(b) To assist in financing the competitive grant program, |
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the health science center may: |
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(1) use appropriated money from the state government; |
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and |
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(2) accept gifts, donations, grants of money, and |
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in-kind contributions from the federal government, local |
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governments, private corporations, or other persons, provided that |
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the health science center implements the program in accordance with |
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the contingency under Section 73.709. |
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Sec. 73.709. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The health science |
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center is required to implement a provision of this subchapter only |
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if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that |
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purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money |
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specifically for that purpose, the health science center may, but |
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is not required to, implement the provision using other money |
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available to the health science center for that purpose. |
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SECTION 2. The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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Houston shall: |
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(1) as soon as practicable, apply for any available |
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federal money to assist in financing the competitive grant program |
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under Subchapter J, Chapter 73, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, as required by Section 73.708, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act; and |
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(2) not later than December 1, 2022, submit a report to |
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the senate committee on education, or its successor, and the house |
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public education committee, or its successor, regarding the |
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implementation and status of the competitive grant program under |
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Subchapter J, Chapter 73, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |