Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2879 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		86R17660 KFF-F
2	2		By: Raney H.B. No. 2879
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2879:
	4	+	By: Allen C.S.H.B. No. 2879
3	5
4	6
5	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	8		AN ACT
7	9		relating to a competitive grant program to fund promotion of early
8	10		literacy programs in certain communities in this state.
9	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	12		SECTION 1. Chapter 73, Education Code, is amended by adding
11	13		Subchapter J to read as follows:
12	14		SUBCHAPTER J. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE EARLY LITERACY
13	15		Sec. 73.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
14	16		(1) "Competitive grant program" means the competitive
15	17		grant program to promote early literacy established under this
16	18		subchapter.
17	19		(2) "Health care practitioner" has the meaning
18	20		assigned by Section 112.001, Occupations Code.
19	21		(3) "Health science center" means The University of
20	22		Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
21	23		(4) "Literacy program" means a program to promote
22	24		early literacy.
23	25		Sec. 73.702. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO
24	26		PROMOTE EARLY LITERACY. (a) Subject to Section 73.709, The
25	27		University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston shall
26	28		establish a competitive grant program to promote early literacy
27	29		through which the health science center will award grants for the
28	30		implementation of literacy programs, or the expansion of existing
29	31		programs, and for the operation of those programs for a period of
30	32		not less than two years.
31	33		(b) The health science center shall award grants under the
32	34		program to applicants, including applicants operating existing
33	35		programs, in a manner that ensures that the literacy programs
34	36		collectively operate in multiple communities that are
35	37		geographically distributed throughout this state.
36	38		Sec. 73.703. LITERACY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. A literacy
37	39		program funded through a grant awarded under this subchapter must:
38	40		(1) consult and use as a guide the program model
39	41		developed by the Reach Out and Read National Center, including any
40	42		clinical, programmatic, and data collection requirements of that
41	43		model;
42	44		(2) require that health care practitioners who
43	45		participate in the literacy program:
44	46		(A) in conjunction with performing well-child
45	47		examinations, provide books to children and encourage parents to
46	48		read to their children to develop preliteracy skills;
47	49		(B) maintain waiting rooms that encourage
48	50		children to read; and
49	51		(C) provide services designed to increase the
50	52		school readiness of children receiving program services; and
51	53		(3) partner with local adult literacy providers to
52	54		encourage parent literacy in appropriate circumstances.
53	55		Sec. 73.704. APPLICATION. (a) A public or private entity,
54	56		including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of
55	57		this state, may apply for a grant under this subchapter.
56	58		(b) To apply for a grant, an applicant must submit a written
57	59		application to the health science center on a form prescribed by the
58	60		health science center in consultation with the Reach Out and Read
59	61		National Center.
60	62		Sec. 73.705. LITERACY PROGRAM GUIDELINES. The health
61	63		science center, with the assistance of the Reach Out and Read
62	64		National Center, shall publish guidelines for the literacy programs
63	65		funded under this subchapter. The guidelines may follow the Reach
64	66		Out and Read national program model standards and guidelines that
65	67		have been tested and replicated in multiple communities.
66	68		Sec. 73.706. USE OF PROGRAM MONEY. (a) In addition to
67	69		awarding grants under this subchapter, the health science center
68	70		may use program money to:
69	71		(1) administer the competitive grant program; and
70	72		(2) purchase or contract to purchase discounted books
71	73		for use by grant recipients.
72	74		(b) A grant recipient may use grant money awarded under this
73	75		subchapter only to cover costs related to implementing or expanding
74	76		and operating a literacy program, including costs related to:
75	77		(1) administering the literacy program;
76	78		(2) training and managing health care practitioners
77	79		who volunteer to participate in the literacy program; and
78	80		(3) purchasing or contracting to purchase discounted
79	81		books for use in the literacy program.
80	82		Sec. 73.707. PROGRAM EVALUATION; BIENNIAL COMMITTEE
81	83		REPORTS. (a) The health science center, with the assistance of
82	84		the Reach Out and Read National Center, shall prepare and submit a
83	85		biennial report, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered
84	86		year, to the senate committee on education, or its successor, and
85	87		the house public education committee, or its successor, regarding
86	88		the grants awarded during the preceding two state fiscal years.
87	89		(b) The report required under Subsection (a) must include:
88	90		(1) the number of health care practitioners who
89	91		participate in the program;
90	92		(2) the number of children receiving literacy program
91	93		services as a result of the program; and
92	94		(3) the amount of each grant awarded to a health care
93	95		practitioner under the program.
94	96		(c) On request, each grant recipient shall timely collect
95	97		and provide data and any other information required by the health
96	98		science center to monitor and evaluate the program, including
97	99		recipient participation in the program, and to prepare the report
98	100		required by this section.
99	101		Sec. 73.708. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) The
100	102		health science center shall actively seek and apply for any
101	103		available federal money to assist in financing the competitive
102	104		grant program established under this subchapter.
103	105		(b) To assist in financing the competitive grant program,
104	106		the health science center may:
105	107		(1) use appropriated money from the state government;
106	108		and
107	109		(2) accept gifts, donations, grants of money, and
108	110		in-kind contributions from the federal government, local
109	111		governments, private corporations, or other persons, provided that
110	112		the health science center implements the program in accordance with
111	113		the contingency under Section 73.709.
112	114		Sec. 73.709. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The health science
113	115		center is required to implement a provision of this subchapter only
114	116		if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that
115	117		purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money
116	118		specifically for that purpose, the health science center may, but
117	119		is not required to, implement the provision using other money
118	120		available to the health science center for that purpose.
119	121		SECTION 2. The University of Texas Health Science Center at
120	122		Houston shall:
121	123		(1) as soon as practicable, apply for any available
122	124		federal money to assist in financing the competitive grant program
123	125		under Subchapter J, Chapter 73, Education Code, as added by this
124	126		Act, as required by Section 73.708, Education Code, as added by this
125	127		Act; and
126	128		(2) not later than December 1, 2022, submit a report to
127	129		the senate committee on education, or its successor, and the house
128	130		public education committee, or its successor, regarding the
129	131		implementation and status of the competitive grant program under
130	132		Subchapter J, Chapter 73, Education Code, as added by this Act.
131	133		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.