HB 136 — The establishment of the teachers' classroom supply savi

90R196 ANG-D By: Leo Wilson H.B. No. 136 relating to the establishment of the teachers' classroom supply savings account program.

SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 21.4145 to read as follows: Sec. 21.4145. TEACHERS' CLASSROOM SUPPLY SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM. (a) The comptroller shall establish and administer a teachers' classroom supply savings account program through which, each school year, the comptroller provides to each eligible teacher a grant of $1,000 to purchase classroom supplies. (b) In administering the program, the comptroller shall maintain a system of online accounts to provide access to the grant described by Subsection (a) to an eligible teacher. (c) A teacher is eligible to participate in the program if the teacher is: (1) employed by a school district or open-enrollment charter school to teach not less than an average of four hours each day in an academic instructional setting or a career and technology instructional setting; and (2) certified under Subchapter B. (d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a teacher may spend grant money only on classroom supplies to be used by the teacher or the teacher's students at the school district or open-enrollment charter school at which the teacher is employed as described by Subsection (c)(1) during the school year for which the grant was provided. (e) The comptroller shall adopt rules to establish a process by which any grant money remaining in a teacher's account at the end of a school year may be rolled over for use by the teacher during the following school year for: (1) the purchase of classroom supplies as described by Subsection (d); or (2) any costs associated with the teacher's professional development. (f) A teacher participating in the program shall retain the receipt for each purchase made using grant money until the second anniversary of the date of purchase. (g) The comptroller shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.

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