HBA-MPM H.B. 646 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 646
By: Howard
Public Education
2/11/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current state law allows school districts to use funds from the state
textbook fund to purchase textbooks that are not on the state-adopted list
if the districts use the textbooks in the enrichment curriculum and the
district supplies 30 percent of the cost of the textbook from local funds.
H.B. 646 allows districts to buy textbooks that are not on the
state-adopted list for courses in both the foundation and enrichment
curricula.  It also allows districts to purchase these books with 100
percent state funding, as long as the textbooks do not exceed the average
cost of books on the stateadopted list. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 31.101(a) and (b), Education Code, to make
notification provisions related to textbook selection applicable to the
foundation curriculum as well as the enrichment curriculum.  Requires the
state to pay the district or school the same amount the state would pay
under this chapter if the district or school had selected a textbook on the
conforming or nonconforming list, if the district or school selects a
textbook that is not on the conforming or nonconforming list.  Deletes
language specifying that the amount be equal to the lesser of 70 percent of
the cost of the textbook, or 70 percent of the limitation established under
Section 31.025 (Limitation on Cost), multiplied by the number of textbooks
required by the district or school. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive
changes.  Redesignates (a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B) to (a)(1) and (a)(2),
respectively. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective beginning with the
1999-2000 school year. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date:  upon passage.