SB 2, Sen 2nd Rdg, Amnd #F15

(1) Immediately following added Section 29.354, Education Code (page 2, between lines 57 and 58), insert the following:

Sec. 29.3541. APPLICABILITY OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST LAWS TO EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATIONS. A member of the board of a certified educational assistance organization and any employee of the organization who administers the program under this subchapter is subject to the standards of conduct and conflict of interest provisions applicable to a state officer or employee under Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code.

(2) In added Section 29.356(b), Education Code, on page 3, at the end of line 23, add "within each category".

(3) Strike added Sections 29.356(b)(1) and (2), Education Code (page 3, lines 25 through 34), and substitute the following:

(1) for not more than 40 percent of the available positions in the program, children described by Section 29.355(a) who are members of a household with a total annual income that is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines;

(2) for not more than 30 percent of the available positions in the program, children described by Section 29.355(a) who are members of a household with a total annual income that is above 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines;

(3) for not more than 20 percent of the available positions in the program, children with a disability described by Section 29.355(a) who are not accepted into the program under Subdivision (1) or (2); and

(4) for any remaining available positions in the program, all eligible applicants who are not accepted into the program under Subdivision (1), (2), or (3).

(4) Strike added Section 29.358(b)(1), Education Code (page 4, lines 42 through 45), and substitute the following:

(1) for a private school, demonstrates:

(A) annual administration of a nationally norm-referenced assessment instrument or the appropriate assessment instrument required under Subchapter B, Chapter 39; and

(B) the private school has been in operation for at least three years;

(5) In added Section 29.358(b), Education Code (page 4, between lines 51 and 52), insert the following appropriately numbered subdivision and renumber subsequent subdivisions and cross-references to those subdivisions accordingly:

( ) for a child-care facility licensed under Chapter 42, Human Resources Code:

(A) is a Texas Rising Star Program provider; or

(B) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization for child-care or early childhood education facilities or programs, including:

(i) the National Association for the Education of Young Children;

(ii) the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs; or

(iii) the National Association for Family Child Care;

(6) In added Section 29.361(c), Education Code (page 7, line 37), immediately following the period, add "Money carried forward under this subsection that remains in the participating child's account at the end of the next fiscal year must be returned to the comptroller for deposit in the program fund.".

(7) Immediately following added Section 29.365, Education Code (page 9, between lines 36 and 37), insert the following:

Sec. 29.3651. PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS. Each of the following entities shall comply with Chapter 552, Government Code, as if the entity were a governmental body with respect to information relating to the program:

(1) a certified educational assistance organization;

(2) an education service provider or vendor of educational products receiving money distributed under the program; and