Bill Text: TX SB1659 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the commissioner of education accepting contributions for the public school system, adopting rules regarding grant compliance, and establishing grants for high-quality educational programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-24 - Returned to Local & Consent Calendars Comm. [SB1659 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1659-Comm_Sub.html
By: Taylor of Galveston | S.B. No. 1659 | |
(VanDeaver) | ||
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relating to the commissioner of education accepting contributions | ||
for the public school system, adopting rules regarding grant | ||
compliance, and establishing grants for high-quality educational | ||
programs. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 7.055(b), Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subdivision (42) to read as follows: | ||
(42) The commissioner may accept a gift, grant, | ||
donation, or other contribution on behalf of the public school | ||
system or agency and, unless otherwise specified by the donor, may | ||
use the contribution in the manner the commissioner determines. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 7.067 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 7.067. GRANT COMPLIANCE. (a) The commissioner may: | ||
(1) adopt rules to ensure that recipients of | ||
state-funded grants administered by the commissioner or the agency | ||
are in compliance with grant requirements; and | ||
(2) require a grant recipient to provide information | ||
to the agency detailing grant compliance. | ||
(b) The commissioner may direct the agency to make a site | ||
visit to a grant recipient to review the recipient's compliance | ||
with grant requirements. A review conducted under this subsection | ||
is not subject to Section 7.028 or 39.056. | ||
(c) If the commissioner finds that a grant recipient is not | ||
in compliance with grant requirements, the commissioner may: | ||
(1) seek the remittance of the grant funds; and | ||
(2) withhold funding authorized under Section 12.106 | ||
or Chapter 42 or any other state funding in an amount sufficient to | ||
recover the grant funds provided to the recipient. | ||
(d) A decision of the commissioner regarding grant | ||
compliance, including a decision to withhold funding under | ||
Subsection (c), is final and may not be appealed. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.924 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.924. HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM GRANTS. | ||
(a) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant program | ||
to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in | ||
implementing high-quality educational programs. | ||
(b) The commissioner may adopt rules on the use of grant | ||
funds under this section, including rules determining eligibility, | ||
award amount, and any restrictions. The commissioner may authorize | ||
a grant recipient or a tax-exempt organization contracting with the | ||
grant recipient to use grant funds for the remodeling of current | ||
facilities and performance-based incentives. | ||
(c) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used by a | ||
grant recipient only to implement a high-quality educational | ||
program or to enhance a current educational program in order for the | ||
program to operate as a high-quality educational program. | ||
(d) In selecting grant recipients under this section, the | ||
commissioner must consider the availability of existing resources, | ||
including funds and equipment, to students in the school district | ||
or open-enrollment charter school. | ||
(e) The commissioner may make grants under this section | ||
using funds allocated for that purpose under Section 12.141(c)(1) | ||
and gifts, grants, and donations accepted by the commissioner. A | ||
decision of the commissioner concerning the amount of funds | ||
available for a grant is final and may not be appealed. | ||
SECTION 4. The commissioner of education is required to | ||
implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates money | ||
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not | ||
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commissioner | ||
of education may, but is not required to, implement this Act using | ||
other appropriations available for the purpose. | ||
SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of | ||
this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
(b) This Act takes effect only if S.B. 1658, Acts of the 85th | ||
Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is enacted and becomes law. If | ||
S.B. 1658 is not enacted or does not become law, this Act has no | ||
effect. |