By: Taylor of Galveston S.B. No. 1483
(Bohac)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Technology Lending Program to
provide grants to school districts and open-enrollment charter
schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter G to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER G. TECHNOLOGY LENDING PROGRAM GRANTS
Sec. 32.301. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The
commissioner may establish a grant program under which grants are
awarded to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to
implement a technology lending program to provide students access
to equipment necessary to access and use electronic instructional
materials.
(b) A school district or an open-enrollment charter school
may apply to the commissioner to participate in the grant program.
In awarding grants under this subchapter for each school year, the
commissioner shall consider:
(1) the availability of existing equipment to students
in the district or school;
(2) other funding available to the district or school;
and
(3) the district's or school's technology plan.
(c) The commissioner may determine the terms of a grant
awarded under this section, including limits on the grant amount
and approved uses of grant funds.
(d) The commissioner may recover funds not used in
accordance with the terms of a grant by withholding amounts from any
state funds otherwise due to the school district or open-enrollment
charter school.
Sec. 32.302. FUNDING. (a) The commissioner may use not
more than $25 million from the state instructional materials fund
under Section 31.021 each state fiscal biennium or a different
amount determined by appropriation to administer a grant program
established under this subchapter.
(b) The cost of administering a grant program under this
subchapter must be paid from funds described by Subsection (a).
Sec. 32.303. USE OF GRANT FUNDS. (a) A school district or
open-enrollment charter school may use a grant awarded under
Section 32.301 or other local funds to purchase, maintain, and
insure equipment for a technology lending program.
(b) Equipment purchased by a school district or
open-enrollment charter school with a grant awarded under Section
32.301 is the property of the district or school.
Sec. 32.304. REVIEW OF PROGRAM. Not later than January 1,
2019, the commissioner shall review the grant program established
under this subchapter and submit a report to the governor, the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the presiding officers of the standing committees in the senate
and house primarily responsible for public education. This section
expires September 1, 2019.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.