By: Hughes  S.B. No. 1356
         (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2021; March 18, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 19, 2021,
  reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
  following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1356 By:  Hughes
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the participation by members of nonprofit teacher
  organizations in a tutoring program for public school students and
  related retirement benefits for certain tutors participating in the
  program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 22.092(d), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The agency shall provide [private schools and public
  schools] equivalent access to the registry maintained under this
  section to:
               (1)  private schools; 
               (2)  public schools; and 
               (3)  nonprofit teacher organizations approved by the
  commissioner for the purpose of participating in the tutoring
  program established under Section 33.913.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 33.913 to read as follows:
         Sec. 33.913.  TUTORING PROGRAM. (a) A member of a nonprofit
  teacher organization may participate in a tutoring program in
  accordance with this section to provide supplemental instruction to
  students in kindergarten through grade 12 on an individualized or
  small-group basis.
         (b)  To participate in the program as a tutor, a person must:
               (1)  be an active or retired teacher;
               (2)  apply for the position in a manner specified by the
  nonprofit organization;
               (3)  designate in the application whether the person
  plans to provide tutoring:
                     (A)  for compensation, on a volunteer basis, or
  both; and
                     (B)  in-person, online, or both; and
               (4)  not be included in the registry of persons not
  eligible for employment by a public school under Section 22.092.
         (c)  Each school district superintendent or the person
  designated by the superintendent shall oversee the tutoring program
  within the district. 
         (d)  A school district may use any available state or federal
  funds to provide compensation to a person participating in the
  program as a tutor who is providing tutoring for compensation under
  the program.
         (e)  If an active or retired teacher who has been approved
  for participation in the tutoring program contacts a school
  district to provide tutoring to students in the district, the
  district shall:
               (1)  if the teacher is providing tutoring services on a
  volunteer basis, use the volunteer tutoring services provided by
  the teacher; or
               (2)  if the district has state or federal funds for
  purposes of the tutoring program and the teacher is providing
  tutoring services for compensation, employ the teacher as a tutor.
         (f)  At least quarterly, each nonprofit organization
  participating in the tutoring program shall provide to the
  organization's members:
               (1)  a description of the tutoring program and guidance
  on how to participate in the program; and
               (2)  the contact information of each person described
  by Subsection (c) for the school district in which the member
  resides and any adjacent districts.
         SECTION 3.  Section 824.602(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Subject to Section 825.506, the retirement system may
  not, under Section 824.601, withhold a monthly benefit payment if
  the retiree is employed in a Texas public educational institution:
               (1)  as a substitute only with pay not more than the
  daily rate of substitute pay established by the employer and, if the
  retiree is a disability retiree, the employment has not exceeded a
  total of 90 days in the school year;
               (2)  in a position, other than as a substitute, on no
  more than a one-half time basis for the month;
               (3)  in one or more positions on as much as a full-time
  basis, if the retiree has been separated from service with all Texas
  public educational institutions for at least 12 full consecutive
  months after the retiree's effective date of retirement; [or]
               (4)  in a position, other than as a substitute, on no
  more than a one-half time basis for no more than 90 days in the
  school year, if the retiree is a disability retiree; or
               (5)  as a tutor under Section 33.913, Education Code.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter G, Chapter 825, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 825.604 to read as follows:
         Sec. 825.604.  INFORMATION PROVIDED TO MEMBERS. The
  retirement system shall regularly provide information in an
  electronic format to members and retirees regarding the tutoring
  program established under Section 33.913, Education Code, that
  includes:
               (1)  general information regarding the tutoring
  program; and 
               (2)  a statement directing members and retirees who
  want to participate in the tutoring program to contact their local
  school districts for further guidance.
         SECTION 5.  (a) Subject to Subsection (b) of this section,
  the changes in law made by this Act apply to a retiree of the Teacher
  Retirement System of Texas regardless of whether the person retired
  from employment before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  Section 824.602(a), Government Code, as amended by this
  Act, applies only to the employment of a retiree of the Teacher
  Retirement System of Texas that occurs on or after the effective
  date of this Act.
         SECTION 6.  This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
  school year.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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