Reynolds Civic Education Bill Limits Consortium To Historically Black Colleges

The text as introduced · 813 words

90R3635 CMO-D

By: Reynolds
H.B. No. 796

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a higher education consortium for

civic education and a grant program for that consortium.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Q, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER Q. CIVIC EDUCATION CONSORTIUM AND GRANT [ TEXAS

PARTNERSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP ] PROGRAM

Sec. 61.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "consortium"

means the consortium of colleges and universities established under

Section 61.802.

Sec. 61.802. CONSORTIUM. (a) A consortium of colleges and

universities is established to provide civic education to residents

of this state at no cost to the student.

(b) To be eligible to participate in the consortium, a

college or university must:

(1) be located in this state;

(2) be designated as a historically black college or

university;

(3) be accredited by a recognized accrediting agency;

and

(4) for an institution of higher education, comply

with all applicable state and federal laws.

Sec. 61.803. CIVIC EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From money

appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the board

shall establish a grant program under which the board awards grants

to colleges and universities in the consortium to provide civic

education to residents of this state at no cost to the student. A

grant awarded under the grant program may be for a one-year term or

for a term of more than one year.

(b) A college or university in the consortium that receives

a grant under the grant program shall partner with a municipality,

county, community organization, public library, institution of

higher education, or private or independent institution of higher

education to provide the civic education described by Subsection

(a) through existing community programs and initiatives.

(c) Money received under the grant program may be used only

for the following purposes as related to civic education described

by Subsection (a):

(1) for colleges and universities in the consortium:

(A) faculty and staff recruitment, development,

and retention;

(B) upgrades and support for research,

curriculum development and instruction, and technological

advancements; and

(C) infrastructure improvements;

(2) for community partners described by Subsection

(b):

(A) staffing, including training to build civic

education expertise;

(B) infrastructure and program implementation;

(C) the creation of digital resources and virtual

programming to expand accessibility; and

(D) support for hosting civic education events,

including voter registration drives and workshops;

(3) support services for recruitment, development,

and retention of students; and

(4) a broad framework of civic education models and

practices to be used as the basis for curriculum and instruction

statewide.

(d) Civic education offered under the grant program must be

made available across the state, with resources directed to both

urban and rural communities.

(e) The board shall require a college or university in the

consortium that receives a grant under the grant program to

regularly report the college's or university's progress in

providing civic education described by Subsection (a).

Sec. 61.804. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The board shall

establish an oversight committee to monitor the consortium and

implementation of the grant program under Section 61.803.

(b) The oversight committee must consist of representatives

of:

(1) colleges and universities located in this state

and designated as historically black colleges and universities;

(2) municipalities;

(3) counties; and

(4) public libraries.

(c) The oversight committee shall evaluate the civic

education provided by the consortium under this subchapter at least

once every three years. The committee must consider:

(1) student competencies and skills growth;

(2) enrollment and completion rates; and

(3) community and economic impacts.

(d) The consortium shall contract with an independent

third-party evaluator to evaluate the civic education provided by

the consortium under this subchapter on the schedule described by

Subsection (c) and report the evaluator's findings to the oversight

committee and the consortium.

Sec. 61.805. CONSORTIUM RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The

consortium may make recommendations to the oversight committee for

the provision of civic education under the grant program

established under Section 61.803. The recommendations must address

community needs, including state and local workforce development.

(b) The oversight committee must approve a recommendation

of the consortium before grant funding under Section 61.803 may be

spent in accordance with that recommendation.

Sec. 61.806. GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS. The board shall

encourage the consortium to seek gifts, grants, or donations,

including matching funds from federal programs, from any public or

private source to support civic education under this subchapter.

Sec. 61.807. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary

to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2027-2028

academic year.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2027.