| 1 | 1 | | 88R3486 AMF-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Harris of Williamson H.B. No. 1974 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a statewide Imagination Library |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | program by the State Board of Education. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 33.911 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 33.911. STATEWIDE IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM. (a) |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | In this section, "board" means the State Board of Education. |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (b) Using money described by Subsection (d), the board shall |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | establish a statewide Imagination Library program in partnership |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library or a similar book |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | distribution program to encourage children to develop a love of |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | reading and learning by mailing age-appropriate books on a monthly |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | basis to children five years of age or younger who register for the |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | program. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (c) The board shall: |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (1) identify and recruit local affiliates across the |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | state to participate in the program; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2) assist local affiliates in the development, |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | coordination, and promotion of the program in the affiliates' |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | respective communities; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (3) develop, coordinate, and promote a statewide |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | public awareness campaign to inform: |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (A) donors regarding opportunities to |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | financially support the program and local affiliates; and |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (B) the public regarding the program, including |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | how to register eligible children into the program; and |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (4) coordinate the collection and remittance of |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | program costs for books and mailing. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (d) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | donations from any public or private source for purposes of the |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | program. |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (e) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | section. |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|