Amend CSSB 26 (senate committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter C, Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 48.308 to read as follows:
Sec. 48.308. TEACHER AUTO INSURANCE STIPEND.(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school is entitled to an allotment under the Foundation School Program to provide a stipend to teachers for the cost of auto insurance.
(b) The stipend shall be distributed as follows:
(1) Each full-time classroom teacher employed by a district or charter school shall receive $1,000 per school year to assist with auto insurance expenses.
(2) The stipend shall be provided at the beginning of each school year and may be used solely for the purpose of offsetting the cost of personal auto insurance.
(c) Funds distributed under this section shall not be considered as part of a teacher's salary and shall not be subject to payroll taxes or retirement system contributions.
(d) The Texas Education Agency shall administer and oversee the distribution of the Teacher Auto Insurance Stipend and establish guidelines to ensure proper use and accountability.
(e) The legislature shall appropriate sufficient funds each biennium to ensure full implementation of this stipend without reducing existing Foundation School Program allocations to school districts.