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  | By:  Creighton, et al. | S.B.  No.  1 |
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  | relating to the establishment of an education savings account | |
  | program. | |
  |              BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
  |              SECTION  1.    The purpose of this Act is to: | |
  |                          (1)    provide additional educational options to assist | |
  | families in this state in exercising the right to direct the | |
  | educational needs of their children; and | |
  |                          (2)    achieve a general diffusion of knowledge. | |
  |              SECTION  2.    Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding | |
  | Subchapter J to read as follows: | |
  | SUBCHAPTER J. EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM | |
  |              Sec.  29.351.    DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | |
  |                          (1)    "Account" means an education savings account | |
  | established under the program. | |
  |                          (2)    "Certified educational assistance organization" | |
  | means an organization certified under Section 29.354 to support the | |
  | administration of the program. | |
  |                          (3)    "Child with a disability" means a child who is | |
  | eligible to participate in a school district's special education | |
  | program under Section 29.003. | |
  |                          (4)    "Higher education provider" means an institution | |
  | of higher education or a private or independent institution of | |
  | higher education, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003. | |
  |                          (5)    "Parent" means a resident of this state who is a | |
  | natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessory conservator, | |
  | legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to | |
  | act on behalf of a child. | |
  |                          (6)    "Participating child" means a child enrolled in | |
  | the program. | |
  |                          (7)    "Participating parent" means a parent of a | |
  | participating child. | |
  |                          (8)    "Program" means the program established under this | |
  | subchapter. | |
  |                          (9)    "Program participant" means a participating child | |
  | or a participating parent. | |
  |              Sec.  29.352.    ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. The comptroller | |
  | shall establish a program to provide funding for approved | |
  | education-related expenses of children participating in the | |
  | program. | |
  |              Sec.  29.353.    PROGRAM FUND. (a) The program fund is an | |
  | account in the general revenue fund to be administered by the | |
  | comptroller. | |
  |              (b)    The fund is composed of: | |
  |                          (1)    general revenue transferred to the fund; | |
  |                          (2)    money appropriated to the fund; | |
  |                          (3)    gifts, grants, and donations received under | |
  | Section 29.370; and | |
  |                          (4)    any other money available for purposes of the | |
  | program. | |
  |              (c)    Money in the fund may be appropriated only for the uses | |
  | specified by this subchapter. | |
  |              Sec.  29.3535.    PROMOTION OF PROGRAM.  Notwithstanding | |
  | Chapter 2113, Government Code, the comptroller or the comptroller's | |
  | designee may enter into contracts or agreements and engage in | |
  | marketing, advertising, and other activities to promote, market, | |
  | and advertise the development and use of the program.  The | |
  | comptroller may use money from the program fund to pay for | |
  | activities authorized under this section. | |
  |              Sec.  29.354.    SELECTION OF CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE | |
  | ORGANIZATIONS. (a) An organization may apply to the comptroller | |
  | for certification as a certified educational assistance | |
  | organization during an application period established by the | |
  | comptroller. | |
  |              (b)    To be eligible for certification, an organization must: | |
  |                          (1)    have the ability to perform one orStatutes affected: Introduced: Education Code 22.092, Government Code 411.109 (Education Code 22, Government Code 411) Engrossed: Education Code 22.092, Government Code 411.109 (Education Code 22, Government Code 411) |