Bill Text: TX HB3497 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to state savings and government efficiency through a taxpayer savings grant program.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-15 - Reported favorably as substituted [HB3497 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB3497-Introduced.html
| By: Turner of Collin | H.B. No. 3497 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to state savings and government efficiency through a | ||
| taxpayer savings grant program. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER J. TAXPAYER SAVINGS GRANTS | ||
| Sec. 42.501. TAXPAYER SAVINGS GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this | ||
| section: | ||
| (1) "Eligible student" means a school-age child who | ||
| resides in the state and who: | ||
| (A) is entering kindergarten or first grade; or | ||
| (B) attended a public school for all of the | ||
| academic year immediately preceding initial participation in the | ||
| program, or is a prior participant in the program. | ||
| (b) A parent or legal guardian of an eligible student who | ||
| agrees to accept reimbursement in an amount that is less than the | ||
| state average maintenance and operations expenditures per student | ||
| may receive reimbursement from the state for the tuition paid for | ||
| the enrollment of the eligible student at a private school in an | ||
| amount that is the lesser of: | ||
| (1) the tuition paid; or | ||
| (2) 60 percent of the state average maintenance and | ||
| operations expenditures per student. | ||
| (c) Money from the available school fund and federal funds | ||
| may not be used for reimbursement under this section. | ||
| (d) Private schools that parents voluntarily choose to | ||
| attend, with or without governmental assistance, will not be | ||
| required to comply with any state law or regulation governing its | ||
| educational program that was not in effect on January 1, 2013." | ||
| SECTION 2. As soon as practicable, but not later than the | ||
| 45th day after the effective date of this Act, the comptroller, in | ||
| coordination with the commissioner of education, shall adopt rules | ||
| to implement the Taxpayer Savings Grant Program under Section | ||
| 42.501, Education Code, as added by this Act, including rules to | ||
| prevent fraud in financial transactions under the program and to | ||
| determine the net savings resulting from implementation of the | ||
| program. Such regulations shall reconcile payments to all schools | ||
| within the same fiscal year, or one month after. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013, 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 effect on that | ||
| date, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislation session. | ||
