Bill Text: TX SB1483 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the Technology Lending Program to provide grants to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-24 - Returned to Local & Consent Calendars Comm. [SB1483 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1483-Comm_Sub.html
| By: Taylor of Galveston | S.B. No. 1483 | |
| (Bohac) | ||
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| relating to the creation of the Technology Lending Program to | ||
| provide grants to school districts and open-enrollment charter | ||
| schools. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter G to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER G. TECHNOLOGY LENDING PROGRAM GRANTS | ||
| Sec. 32.301. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
| commissioner may establish a grant program under which grants are | ||
| awarded to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to | ||
| implement a technology lending program to provide students access | ||
| to equipment necessary to access and use electronic instructional | ||
| materials. | ||
| (b) A school district or an open-enrollment charter school | ||
| may apply to the commissioner to participate in the grant program. | ||
| In awarding grants under this subchapter for each school year, the | ||
| commissioner shall consider: | ||
| (1) the availability of existing equipment to students | ||
| in the district or school; | ||
| (2) other funding available to the district or school; | ||
| and | ||
| (3) the district's or school's technology plan. | ||
| (c) The commissioner may determine the terms of a grant | ||
| awarded under this section, including limits on the grant amount | ||
| and approved uses of grant funds. | ||
| (d) The commissioner may recover funds not used in | ||
| accordance with the terms of a grant by withholding amounts from any | ||
| state funds otherwise due to the school district or open-enrollment | ||
| charter school. | ||
| Sec. 32.302. FUNDING. (a) The commissioner may use not | ||
| more than $25 million from the state instructional materials fund | ||
| under Section 31.021 each state fiscal biennium or a different | ||
| amount determined by appropriation to administer a grant program | ||
| established under this subchapter. | ||
| (b) The cost of administering a grant program under this | ||
| subchapter must be paid from funds described by Subsection (a). | ||
| Sec. 32.303. USE OF GRANT FUNDS. (a) A school district or | ||
| open-enrollment charter school may use a grant awarded under | ||
| Section 32.301 or other local funds to purchase, maintain, and | ||
| insure equipment for a technology lending program. | ||
| (b) Equipment purchased by a school district or | ||
| open-enrollment charter school with a grant awarded under Section | ||
| 32.301 is the property of the district or school. | ||
| Sec. 32.304. REVIEW OF PROGRAM. Not later than January 1, | ||
| 2019, the commissioner shall review the grant program established | ||
| under this subchapter and submit a report to the governor, the | ||
| lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, | ||
| and the presiding officers of the standing committees in the senate | ||
| and house primarily responsible for public education. This section | ||
| expires September 1, 2019. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2017. | ||
