Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2976 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R11725 KKA-D
2	2	By: Anderson of Dallas H.B. No. 2976
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the transportation allotments provided under the
8	8	Foundation School Program to school districts that permit students
9	9	to select a campus of attendance.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 42.155(b), Education Code, is amended by
12	12	amending Subdivision (3) and adding Subdivision (4) to read as
13	13	follows:
14	14	(3) "Linear density" means:
15	15	(A) for purposes of Subsection (c), the average
16	16	number of regular eligible students transported daily, divided by
17	17	the approved daily route miles traveled by the [respective]
18	18	transportation system; and
19	19	(B) for purposes of Subsection (c-1), the average
20	20	number of school choice eligible students transported daily,
21	21	divided by the approved daily route miles traveled by the
22	22	transportation system.
23	23	(4) "School choice eligible student" means a student
24	24	who:
25	25	(A) chooses to attend a campus other than the
26	26	campus to which the student would regularly be assigned because the
27	27	campus of choice offers unique academic programs not available at
28	28	the regularly assigned campus;
29	29	(B) resides two or more miles from the student's
30	30	campus of choice, measured along the shortest route that may be
31	31	traveled on public roads; and
32	32	(C) is not classified as a student eligible for
33	33	special education services.
34	34	SECTION 2. Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by
35	35	adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as
36	36	follows:
37	37	(c-1) This subsection applies only to a district that offers
38	38	students residing in the district a variety of choices in selecting
39	39	a campus for attendance and provides transportation to the selected
40	40	campus at no cost to the students. The choices of campus offered
41	41	must represent multiple factors, such as the sex of students
42	42	enrolled at the campus, the subject matter or learning methods
43	43	emphasized at the campus, and the degree to which athletic and other
44	44	extracurricular activities are available at the campus. In
45	45	addition to the regular transportation allotment under Subsection
46	46	(c), a district is entitled to an allotment based on the daily cost
47	47	per school choice eligible student of operating and maintaining the
48	48	transportation system for school choice eligible students and the
49	49	linear density of that system. In determining the cost, the
50	50	commissioner shall give consideration to factors affecting the
51	51	actual cost of providing those transportation services in the
52	52	district. The average actual cost is to be computed by the
53	53	commissioner and included for consideration by the legislature in
54	54	the General Appropriations Act. The allotment per mile of approved
55	55	route may not exceed the amount set by appropriation.
56	56	(d) A district or county may apply for and on approval of the
57	57	commissioner receive an additional amount of up to 10 percent of its
58	58	regular transportation allotment under Subsection (c) to be used
59	59	for the transportation of children living within two miles of the
60	60	school they attend who would be subject to hazardous traffic
61	61	conditions if they walked to school. Each board of trustees shall
62	62	provide to the commissioner the definition of hazardous conditions
63	63	applicable to that district and shall identify the specific
64	64	hazardous areas for which the allocation is requested. A hazardous
65	65	condition exists where no walkway is provided and children must
66	66	walk along or cross a freeway or expressway, an underpass, an
67	67	overpass or a bridge, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, an
68	68	industrial or commercial area, or another comparable condition.
69	69	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.