87R2296 CJC-D
By: Lucio S.B. No. 686
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation and funding of the Texas student
connectivity account; imposing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 48, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 48.304 to read as follows:
Sec. 48.304. TEXAS STUDENT CONNECTIVITY ACCOUNT. (a) In
this section:
(1) "Account" means the Texas student connectivity
account.
(2) "Wireless service provider" and "wireless
telecommunications connection" have the meanings assigned by
Section 771.001, Health and Safety Code.
(b) The Texas student connectivity account is an account in
the general revenue fund administered by the agency.
(c) The account consists of:
(1) money deposited to the credit of the account as
provided by this section or other law; and
(2) gifts, grants, and donations to the account.
(d) A Texas student connectivity fee of $2 is imposed on
each wireless telecommunications connection each month. A wireless
service provider shall:
(1) collect the fee from the provider's subscribers;
and
(2) not later than the 30th day after the last day of
the month during which the fee is collected except as otherwise
provided under Subsection (e), remit the collected fee to the
comptroller, accompanied by a report in a form the comptroller
determines that contains the total amount collected from the
provider's subscribers and remitted by the provider for the report
month.
(e) The comptroller by rule may establish alternative dates
for the remittance of a fee and report under Subsection (d).
(f) The comptroller shall deposit a fee remitted under this
section to the credit of the account. Money in the account may be
appropriated only to the agency to:
(1) provide matching funds necessary to obtain federal
money available to school districts to expand or upgrade broadband
Internet infrastructure, including federal money available under
the Schools and Libraries Program ("E-rate program") as provided by
47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart F; and
(2) reimburse school districts with a high percentage
of economically disadvantaged students for the cost of providing
Internet connectivity or technology to students for educational
purposes.
(g) The commissioner and comptroller may adopt rules to
administer this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.