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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a STEM and computer science |
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strategic advisory committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.0181 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0181. STEM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE STRATEGIC ADVISORY |
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COMMITTEE. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Advisory committee" means the STEM and computer |
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science strategic advisory committee established under this |
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section. |
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(2) "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, |
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and mathematics. |
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(b) The agency shall establish the STEM and computer science |
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strategic advisory committee as a permanent advisory committee to |
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the agency to: |
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(1) develop and provide recommendations for |
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increasing STEM and computer science instruction and participation |
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in public schools; and |
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(2) facilitate stronger connections to workforce |
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development opportunities. |
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(c) The advisory committee is composed of at least 11 |
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members. The members must include: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives; |
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(4) one member appointed by the chair of the senate |
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committee with primary jurisdiction over primary and secondary |
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education; |
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(5) one member appointed by the chair of the senate |
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committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education; |
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(6) one member appointed by the chair of the house of |
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representatives committee with primary jurisdiction over primary |
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and secondary education; |
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(7) one member appointed by the chair of the house of |
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representatives committee with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education; |
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(8) one member appointed by the chair of the State |
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Board of Education; and |
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(9) any other members added by the advisory committee |
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in a manner determined by the committee in the committee's |
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discretion. |
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(d) In appointing members to the advisory committee, the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall coordinate appointments to ensure that the |
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six individuals appointed to the advisory committee collectively by |
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those officers include: |
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(1) two educators who teach in a public school and are |
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certified in a subject related to STEM or computer science; |
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(2) one parent or person standing in parental relation |
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to a student enrolled in a public school; |
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(3) two individuals employed by an employer in the |
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STEM or computer science industry with at least one location in this |
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state; and |
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(4) one faculty member of an institution of higher |
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education. |
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(e) The governor shall designate a member of the advisory |
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committee as the presiding officer of the advisory committee to |
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serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the governor. |
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(f) The advisory committee may hold public meetings. |
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(g) Members of the advisory committee are not entitled to |
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compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and |
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necessary expenses incurred in fulfilling committee duties. |
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(h) The agency shall appoint an agency employee to support |
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the advisory committee. |
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(i) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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advisory committee shall submit to the governor and the legislature |
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a report that includes recommended changes to state law, including |
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funding proposals and timelines for the implementation of the |
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recommended changes. The report shall include recommendations that |
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are intended to: |
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(1) increase the number of teachers certified in a |
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STEM-related field and teachers certified in computer science; |
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(2) increase the number of public high schools |
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offering STEM and computer science courses; |
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(3) increase the number of high school students |
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enrolled in STEM and computer science courses; |
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(4) encourage the enrollment of diverse student |
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populations in STEM and computer science courses; and |
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(5) expand STEM and computer science learning |
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opportunities, including computer programming, computer coding, |
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cybersecurity, and computational thinking, in public schools. |
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SECTION 2. Section 5, Chapter 1149 (H.B. 2984), Acts of the |
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86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the appropriate persons, as provided by Section |
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28.0181(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, shall appoint |
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members to the STEM and computer science strategic advisory |
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committee. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |