| 1 | 1 | | 87R9677 CXP-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Raymond H.B. No. 3406 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a mobile Internet access hotspot grant |
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| 8 | 8 | | program to provide grants to facilitate distance learning for |
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| 9 | 9 | | public school students. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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| 12 | 12 | | Subchapter H to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SUBCHAPTER H. MOBILE INTERNET ACCESS HOTSPOT GRANTS PROGRAM |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 32.321. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) To the extent |
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| 15 | 15 | | funds are available for the purpose, the agency shall establish a |
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| 16 | 16 | | mobile Internet access hotspot grant program to provide grants to |
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| 17 | 17 | | eligible school districts to facilitate distance learning. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The agency shall develop: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) a method to prioritize grants to serve the highest |
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| 20 | 20 | | number of low-income students; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) eligibility criteria for school districts to |
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| 22 | 22 | | receive grants under the program; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) an annual application process for school districts |
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| 24 | 24 | | to apply to receive grants under the program. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 32.322. FUNDING. The commissioner: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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| 27 | 27 | | donations from any public or private source, person, or group to |
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| 28 | 28 | | implement and administer this subchapter; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) shall maximize the funding by leveraging federal, |
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| 30 | 30 | | state, local, and private money to provide grants under the |
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| 31 | 31 | | program. |
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| 32 | 32 | | Sec. 32.323. USE OF GRANT FUNDS. (a) A school district may |
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| 33 | 33 | | use money received from a grant under this subchapter to facilitate |
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| 34 | 34 | | a mobile Internet access hotspot program that provides hotspot |
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| 35 | 35 | | devices to: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) students enrolled in the district; or |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) the parents or guardians of students enrolled in |
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| 38 | 38 | | the district. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (b) A device provided under a mobile Internet access hotspot |
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| 40 | 40 | | program established under Subsection (a) must: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) be portable; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) not be subject to a data limitation; and |
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| 43 | 43 | | (3) comply with all applicable state and federal laws |
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| 44 | 44 | | regarding online privacy. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Sec. 32.324. REPORTS TO LEGISLATURE. The agency shall |
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| 46 | 46 | | submit a report to the legislature that includes data and analysis |
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| 47 | 47 | | regarding the efficacy of the program under this subchapter and any |
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| 48 | 48 | | associated recommendations: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) not later than December 1, 2023; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) not later than December 1, 2027. |
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| 51 | 51 | | Sec. 32.325. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September |
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| 52 | 52 | | 1, 2028. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2022-2023 |
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| 54 | 54 | | school year. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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