By: Giddings H.B. No. 3713
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program to promote good citizenship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 7.030 to read as follows:
Sec. 7.030. GOOD CITIZENSHIP ACCOUNT; GRANTS. (a) The good
citizenship account is a separate account in the general revenue
fund. The account is composed of money deposited to the credit of
the account under Article 103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure. The
agency shall administer the account and shall spend money credited
to the account only to make grants to benefit school district
programs, including anger management programs and mediation
programs, that deter violence and promote interpersonal skills.
(b) The commissioner shall make grants from the account to
school districts as provided by this section for the promotion of
good citizenship to district students.
(c) The commissioner by rule shall establish procedures for
awarding grants. The rules must provide that:
(1) grants are awarded to school districts on an
annual basis through a competitive process; and
(2) a school district may only receive a grant from
money deposited to the credit of the good citizenship account that
was received from a fine imposed for an offense that occurred within
the district.
(d) To be eligible for a grant, a good citizenship program
offered by a school district must include methods to deter violence
and promote interpersonal skills among district students.
(e) The commissioner may adopt any rules necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 2. Article 103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) As provided by comptroller rule, the custodian of the
county treasury shall remit to the comptroller for deposit into the
good citizenship account created under Section 7.030, Education
Code, money received from a fine imposed for an offense that:
(1) is a Class C misdemeanor under Section 22.01,
Penal Code;
(2) does not involve:
(A) harassment, as defined by Section 37.001,
Education Code; or
(B) violence, sexual conduct, or bodily injury;
(3) involves open-handed physical conduct between two
or more students; and
(4) was committed by a person who is younger than 12
years of age.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Article
103.004, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to a fine imposed
on or after the effective date of this Act. A fine imposed before
the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when
the fine was imposed, and the former law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 4. Not later than October 1, 2011, the comptroller
shall adopt rules as necessary to implement Article 103.004(e),
Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.