By: Taylor S.B. No. 1453
(Ashby)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of calculator applications in place of graphing
calculators in public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 25.904 to read as follows:
Sec. 25.904. USE OF CALCULATOR APPLICATION IN PLACE OF
GRAPHING CALCULATOR. (a) A school district shall permit a student
enrolled in a course that requires the student to use a graphing
calculator to use a calculator application on a computing device,
including a personal, laptop, or tablet computer, that provides the
same functionality, unless the district makes available to the
student a graphing calculator at no cost to the student.
(b) A school district may adopt policies related to student
use of a computing device under this section.
(c) To the extent this section conflicts with Section
37.082, this section prevails.
SECTION 2. The Texas Education Agency is required to
implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature
appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the
legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to,
implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
available for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTION 4. 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, 2019.