| 1 | 1 | | 81R6327 CAS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Chisum H.B. No. 2871 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to grants to school district and countywide public school |
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| 8 | 8 | | transportation systems to be used to pay costs in purchasing school |
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| 9 | 9 | | buses capable of using propane as fuel. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 34, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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| 12 | 12 | | Section 34.0051 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 34.0051. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PURCHASE OF BUSES USING |
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| 14 | 14 | | PROPANE FUEL. (a) The commissioner by rule shall establish a |
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| 15 | 15 | | program under which the commissioner may award to school districts |
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| 16 | 16 | | and to countywide public school transportation systems grants to be |
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| 17 | 17 | | used to pay costs in purchasing school buses capable of using |
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| 18 | 18 | | propane as fuel. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not |
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| 20 | 20 | | exceed $10,000. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) The commissioner may adopt any rule necessary to |
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| 22 | 22 | | administer this section and by rule shall: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) adopt an application procedure and form that a |
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| 24 | 24 | | school district or countywide transportation system must use in |
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| 25 | 25 | | applying for a grant under this section; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) adopt eligibility criteria for awarding a grant; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) adopt criteria for selecting among school |
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| 28 | 28 | | districts or countywide transportation systems if there are more |
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| 29 | 29 | | eligible districts or systems that apply for a grant than money |
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| 30 | 30 | | available to award a grant to each eligible district or system; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (4) establish the amount of a grant or adopt criteria |
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| 32 | 32 | | for determining grant amounts; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (5) establish procedures for ensuring that a grant |
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| 34 | 34 | | award is used by a district or countywide transportation system |
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| 35 | 35 | | only in purchasing a school bus capable of using propane as fuel. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) Subsection (c)(5) includes the purchase of a school bus |
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| 37 | 37 | | in the manner provided by Section 34.005 or 45.001(a)(1)(D). |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) A grant awarded under this section is in addition to a |
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| 39 | 39 | | transportation allotment under Section 42.155. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (f) A grant awarded under this section shall be paid for |
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| 41 | 41 | | with funds appropriated to the agency that may be used for that |
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| 42 | 42 | | purpose. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 44 | 44 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 45 | 45 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 46 | 46 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 47 | 47 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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