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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a technology allotment for public |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 31.001, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.001. FREE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. Instructional |
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materials selected for use in the public schools shall be furnished |
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without cost to the students attending those schools. Except as |
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provided by Section 31.104(d), a school district may not charge a |
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student for instructional material or technological equipment |
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purchased by the district with the district's instructional |
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materials allotment or technology allotment. |
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SECTION 2. Section 31.152(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A school trustee, administrator, or teacher commits an |
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offense if the person accepts a gift, favor, or service that: |
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(1) is given to the person or the person's school; |
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(2) might reasonably tend to influence a trustee, |
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administrator, or teacher in the selection of instructional |
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material or technological equipment; and |
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(3) could not be lawfully purchased with state |
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instructional materials funds or the technology allotment under |
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Section 32.006. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 32.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.006. TECHNOLOGY ALLOTMENT. (a) Each school |
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district is entitled to an allotment of $15 for each student in |
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average daily attendance or a different amount for any year |
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provided by appropriation. |
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(b) An allotment under this section may be used only to: |
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(1) provide for the purchase by school districts of |
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technological equipment that contributes to student learning; and |
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(2) pay: |
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(A) to provide access to technological equipment |
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for instructional use; and |
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(B) the salary and other expenses of an employee |
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who provides technical support for the use of technological |
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equipment directly involved in student learning. |
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(c) The allotment under this section may not be paid from |
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the state instructional materials fund established under Section |
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31.021 or otherwise affect the amount of a school district's |
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instructional materials allotment under Section 31.0211. The |
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allotment may be paid from: |
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(1) the available school fund; or |
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(2) any other fund that may be used for that purpose |
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and that is identified in the General Appropriations Act as the |
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source of payment of the allotment. |
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(d) An open-enrollment charter school is entitled to an |
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allotment under this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 41.124(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) A school district that receives tuition for a student |
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from a school district with a wealth per student that exceeds the |
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equalized wealth level may not claim attendance for that student |
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for purposes of Chapters 42 and 46, [and] the instructional |
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materials allotment under Section 31.0211, and the technology |
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allotment under Section 32.006. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |