Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB396 Latest Draft

Bill / Enrolled Version Filed 05/24/2019

                            H.B. No. 396


 AN ACT
 relating to acceptable uses of the instructional materials and
 technology fund and the instructional materials and technology
 allotment.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 31.021(c), Education Code, as amended by
 Chapters 581 (S.B. 810) and 705 (H.B. 3526), Acts of the 85th
 Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and amended to
 read as follows:
 (c)  Money in the state instructional materials and
 technology fund shall be used to:
 (1)  fund the instructional materials and technology
 allotment, as provided by Section 31.0211;
 (2)  purchase special instructional materials for the
 education of blind and visually impaired students in public
 schools;
 (3)  pay the expenses associated with the instructional
 materials adoption and review process under this chapter;
 (4)  pay the expenses associated with the purchase or
 licensing of open education resource instructional material;
 (5)  pay the expenses associated with the purchase of
 instructional material, including [intrastate] freight and
 shipping and the insurance expenses associated with [intrastate]
 freight and shipping;
 (6)  fund the technology lending grant program
 established under Section 32.301;
 (7)  provide funding to the Texas School for the Blind
 and Visually Impaired, the Texas School for the Deaf, and the Texas
 Juvenile Justice Department; and
 (8)  pay the expenses associated with the instructional
 materials web portal developed under Section 31.081.
 SECTION 2.  Section 31.0211(c), Education Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (c)  Subject to Subsection (d), funds allotted under this
 section may be used to:
 (1)  purchase:
 (A)  materials on the list adopted by the
 commissioner, as provided by Section 31.0231;
 (B)  instructional materials, regardless of
 whether the instructional materials are on the list adopted under
 Section 31.024;
 (C)  consumable instructional materials,
 including workbooks;
 (D)  instructional materials for use in bilingual
 education classes, as provided by Section 31.029;
 (E)  instructional materials for use in college
 preparatory courses under Section 28.014, as provided by Section
 31.031;
 (F)  supplemental instructional materials, as
 provided by Section 31.035;
 (G)  state-developed open education resource
 instructional materials, as provided by Subchapter B-1;
 (H)  instructional materials and technological
 equipment under any continuing contracts of the district in effect
 on September 1, 2011; [and]
 (I)  technological equipment necessary to support
 the use of materials included on the list adopted by the
 commissioner under Section 31.0231 or any instructional materials
 purchased with an allotment under this section; and
 (J)  inventory software or systems for storing,
 managing, and accessing instructional materials and analyzing the
 usage and effectiveness of the instructional materials; and
 (2)  pay:
 (A)  for training educational personnel directly
 involved in student learning in the appropriate use of
 instructional materials and for providing for access to
 technological equipment for instructional use; and
 (B)  the salary and other expenses of an employee
 who provides technical support for the use of technological
 equipment directly involved in student learning.
 SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 ______________________________ ______________________________
 President of the Senate Speaker of the House
 I certify that H.B. No. 396 was passed by the House on March
 21, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not
 voting.
 ______________________________
 Chief Clerk of the House
 I certify that H.B. No. 396 was passed by the Senate on May
 22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 ______________________________
 Secretary of the Senate
 APPROVED:  _____________________
 Date
 _____________________
 Governor