81R6675 JSA-D
By: Maldonado H.B. No. 1330
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a legislative outreach program requiring members of the
legislature to visit public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter Z to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 301.901. LEGISLATORS BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM. (a)
Each house of the legislature shall establish a program under which
members of that house visit public schools in their legislative
districts to inform students about the Texas Legislature and the
role of legislators in the legislative process, with emphasis on
the perspective and experiences of the individual legislator in
that process and the pressures, conflicts, and difficulties that a
legislator faces in addressing important public matters. Each
house shall provide its members with the resources necessary to
enable each member to effectively participate in the program,
including providing the member with references to available
resources developed by the National Conference of State
Legislatures or other appropriate entities.
(b) Under the program, each member of the legislature must
be required to visit at least five public schools in the member's
district during the two-year term of each legislature. To the
extent practicable, during that period a member shall visit at
least one public school in each accreditation status recognized by
the commissioner of education. Each visit must be planned in
advance with the participating school and must include one or more
opportunities for the member to interact with students in a
discussion or activity that furthers the purposes of the program.
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, 2009.