H.B. No. 396
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to acceptable uses of the instructional materials and
  technology fund and the instructional materials and technology
  allotment.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 31.021(c), Education Code, as amended by
  Chapters 581 (S.B. 810) and 705 (H.B. 3526), Acts of the 85th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Money in the state instructional materials and
  technology fund shall be used to:
               (1)  fund the instructional materials and technology
  allotment, as provided by Section 31.0211;
               (2)  purchase special instructional materials for the
  education of blind and visually impaired students in public
  schools;
               (3)  pay the expenses associated with the instructional
  materials adoption and review process under this chapter;
               (4)  pay the expenses associated with the purchase or
  licensing of open education resource instructional material;
               (5)  pay the expenses associated with the purchase of
  instructional material, including [intrastate] freight and
  shipping and the insurance expenses associated with [intrastate]
  freight and shipping;
               (6)  fund the technology lending grant program
  established under Section 32.301;
               (7)  provide funding to the Texas School for the Blind
  and Visually Impaired, the Texas School for the Deaf, and the Texas
  Juvenile Justice Department; and
               (8)  pay the expenses associated with the instructional
  materials web portal developed under Section 31.081.
         SECTION 2.  Section 31.0211(c), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  Subject to Subsection (d), funds allotted under this
  section may be used to:
               (1)  purchase:
                     (A)  materials on the list adopted by the
  commissioner, as provided by Section 31.0231;
                     (B)  instructional materials, regardless of
  whether the instructional materials are on the list adopted under
  Section 31.024;
                     (C)  consumable instructional materials,
  including workbooks;
                     (D)  instructional materials for use in bilingual
  education classes, as provided by Section 31.029;
                     (E)  instructional materials for use in college
  preparatory courses under Section 28.014, as provided by Section
  31.031;
                     (F)  supplemental instructional materials, as
  provided by Section 31.035;
                     (G)  state-developed open education resource
  instructional materials, as provided by Subchapter B-1;
                     (H)  instructional materials and technological
  equipment under any continuing contracts of the district in effect
  on September 1, 2011; [and]
                     (I)  technological equipment necessary to support
  the use of materials included on the list adopted by the
  commissioner under Section 31.0231 or any instructional materials
  purchased with an allotment under this section; and
                     (J)  inventory software or systems for storing,
  managing, and accessing instructional materials and analyzing the
  usage and effectiveness of the instructional materials; and
               (2)  pay:
                     (A)  for training educational personnel directly
  involved in student learning in the appropriate use of
  instructional materials and for providing for access to
  technological equipment for instructional use; and
                     (B)  the salary and other expenses of an employee
  who provides technical support for the use of technological
  equipment directly involved in student learning.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 396 was passed by the House on March
  21, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 396 was passed by the Senate on May
  22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor