Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB2261 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R8589 EAH-D
2	2	By: Patrick H.B. No. 2261
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to establishing a select committee to review the manner in
8	8	which textbooks for use in public schools are funded, adopted, and
9	9	purchased.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Education Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 31.004 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 31.004. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires December 31,
14	14	2011.
15	15	SECTION 2. Chapter 31, Education Code, is amended by adding
16	16	Subchapter G to read as follows:
17	17	SUBCHAPTER G. SELECT COMMITTEE ON TEXTBOOK FUNDING, ADOPTION, AND
18	18	PURCHASE
19	19	Sec. 31.301. SELECT COMMITTEE ON TEXTBOOK FUNDING,
20	20	ADOPTION, AND PURCHASE. (a) The Select Committee on Textbook
21	21	Funding, Adoption, and Purchase is established to conduct a
22	22	comprehensive review of the manner in which textbooks are funded,
23	23	adopted, and purchased.
24	24	(b) The committee is composed of nine members appointed as
25	25	follows:
26	26	(1) the presiding officers of the standing committees
27	27	of each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over
28	28	public education;
29	29	(2) the presiding officer of the senate committee with
30	30	primary jurisdiction over finance, or the member of the senate
31	31	designated by that presiding officer;
32	32	(3) the presiding officer of the house of
33	33	representatives committee with primary jurisdiction over
34	34	appropriations, or the member of the house of representatives
35	35	designated by that presiding officer;
36	36	(4) one member of the house of representatives
37	37	appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
38	38	(5) one member of the senate appointed by the
39	39	lieutenant governor;
40	40	(6) one public member appointed by the speaker of the
41	41	house of representatives;
42	42	(7) one public member appointed by the lieutenant
43	43	governor; and
44	44	(8) one public member appointed by the governor.
45	45	(c) Committee members appointed under Subsections
46	46	(b)(6)-(8) must have knowledge of the public education system and
47	47	the textbook funding, adoption, and purchase process.
48	48	Sec. 31.302. CO-CHAIRS; COMMITTEE MEETINGS. (a) The
49	49	presiding officers described by Section 31.301(b)(1) serve as
50	50	co-chairs of the committee.
51	51	(b) Committee meetings shall be held at the call of the
52	52	co-chairs.
53	53	Sec. 31.303. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A member
54	54	of the committee is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
55	55	necessary expenses incurred in performing committee duties.
56	56	(b) A legislative member of the committee is entitled to
57	57	reimbursement from the appropriate fund of the house of the
58	58	legislature in which the member serves.
59	59	(c) A member other than a legislative member is entitled to
60	60	reimbursement from funds appropriated to the committee.
61	61	Sec. 31.304. COMMITTEE STAFF. Staff members of the
62	62	standing committees described by Section 31.301(b)(1) shall serve
63	63	as the staff of the committee.
64	64	Sec. 31.305. OBJECTIVES OF REVIEW. (a) The committee
65	65	shall conduct a comprehensive review of the textbook funding,
66	66	adoption, and purchase process.
67	67	(b) A review under this section must include a thorough
68	68	study of:
69	69	(1) each element of the textbook funding, adoption,
70	70	and purchase process prescribed by this chapter;
71	71	(2) the extent to which relevant materials are aligned
72	72	with curriculum requirements adopted by the State Board of
73	73	Education;
74	74	(3) the methods available for providing instructional
75	75	materials and content in traditional print format and digital
76	76	format; and
77	77	(4) the methods available to improve funding,
78	78	including alternative methods for funding technology for the
79	79	delivery of instructional content.
80	80	(c) The committee shall conduct public hearings throughout
81	81	the state and solicit testimony about the textbook funding,
82	82	adoption, and purchase process from parents of public school
83	83	students and other interested persons. At least one public hearing
84	84	must be held at a public school during a time that public school
85	85	students are able to attend the hearing.
86	86	(d) The commissioner shall ensure that the committee has
87	87	access to any documentation and agency personnel the committee
88	88	requests.
89	89	(e) The Legislative Budget Board, comptroller, state
90	90	auditor, and any other state agency, official, or personnel shall
91	91	cooperate with the committee in carrying out its duties under this
92	92	subchapter.
93	93	(f) The committee may coordinate the review under this
94	94	subchapter with any other legislative review or study, as
95	95	appropriate.
96	96	Sec. 31.306. REPORT. (a) Not later than December 1, 2010,
97	97	the committee shall provide a report that:
98	98	(1) states the findings of the review conducted under
99	99	this subchapter; and
100	100	(2) includes any recommendations for statutory
101	101	changes.
102	102	(b) The report must be approved by a majority of the
103	103	committee members. A member who disagrees with any part of the
104	104	report may attach a dissenting statement to the report.
105	105	SECTION 3. (a) Officers required to make appointments to
106	106	the Select Committee on Textbook Funding, Adoption, and Purchase,
107	107	as established under Subchapter G, Chapter 31, Education Code, as
108	108	added by this Act, shall make appointments to that committee as soon
109	109	as possible after the effective date of this Act.
110	110	(b) The Select Committee on Textbook Funding, Adoption, and
111	111	Purchase shall hold an organizational meeting not later than
112	112	October 1, 2009.
113	113	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
114	114	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
115	115	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
116	116	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
117	117	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.