| 2 | | - | (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2015; March 17, 2015, read |
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| 3 | | - | first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 5, 2015, |
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| 4 | | - | reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the |
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| 5 | | - | following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 3; May 5, 2015, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | | - | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 7 | | - | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1178 By: Huffines |
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| 8 | 2 | | |
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| 9 | 3 | | |
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| 10 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 11 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 12 | 6 | | relating to an interim study on an education savings account |
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| 13 | 7 | | program. |
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| 14 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 15 | 9 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "agency" means the Texas |
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| 16 | 10 | | Education Agency. |
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| 17 | 11 | | (b) The agency shall conduct an interim study regarding the |
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| 18 | 12 | | implementation of an education savings account program. The study |
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| 19 | 13 | | must evaluate: |
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| 20 | 14 | | (1) best practices in implementing an education |
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| 21 | 15 | | savings account program; |
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| 22 | 16 | | (2) the experiences of other states that have |
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| 23 | 17 | | implemented similar programs; |
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| 24 | 18 | | (3) the populations that might be served by the |
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| 25 | 19 | | program; |
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| 26 | 20 | | (4) potential student eligibility guidelines for |
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| 27 | 21 | | participation in the program; |
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| 28 | 22 | | (5) potential guidelines for the voluntary |
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| 29 | 23 | | participation of private schools in the program; |
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| 30 | 24 | | (6) methods of funding for the program; |
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| 31 | 25 | | (7) which expenses to include as qualified educational |
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| 32 | 26 | | expenses under the program; |
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| 33 | 27 | | (8) whether to preapprove certain vendors for |
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| 34 | 28 | | participation in the program; |
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| 35 | 29 | | (9) potential academic and financial accountability |
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| 36 | 30 | | measures for the program; and |
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| 37 | 31 | | (10) methods of contracting between the state and one |
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| 38 | 32 | | or more financial institutions for the provision and maintenance of |
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| 39 | 33 | | the accounts. |
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| 40 | 34 | | (c) In conducting the study, the agency shall consult with |
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| 41 | 35 | | stakeholders and national subject matter experts, including |
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| 42 | 36 | | individuals who have assisted in implementing similar programs in |
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| 43 | 37 | | other states. |
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| 44 | 38 | | (d) The agency may accept any gifts, grants, or donations |
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| 45 | 39 | | from any source to conduct the study under this section. |
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| 46 | 40 | | (e) Not later than November 1, 2016, the agency shall submit |
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| 47 | 41 | | a report on the findings of the study to the lieutenant governor, |
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| 48 | 42 | | speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the |
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| 49 | 43 | | legislature. The report must include any recommendations for |
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| 50 | 44 | | implementation of an education savings account program from |
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| 51 | 45 | | individuals who have assisted in implementing similar programs in |
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| 52 | 46 | | other states. |
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| 53 | 47 | | SECTION 2. This Act expires September 1, 2017. |
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| 54 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 55 | 49 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 56 | 50 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 57 | 51 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 58 | 52 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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