SENATE BILL 114

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava and Nora Espinoza

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL; CREATING A DUAL CREDIT TEXTBOOK FUND; PROVIDING FOR ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] DUAL CREDIT TEXTBOOK FUND--CREATED--ADMINISTRATION--ALLOCATION AND DISTRIBUTION--UNEXPENDED FUNDS--RECOVERED FUNDS.--

          A. The "dual credit textbook fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and bequests. The instructional material bureau of the department shall administer the fund, and money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature for distribution to school districts, charter schools and state-supported schools each year to provide textbooks and course supplies for students participating in the dual credit program pursuant to Section 21-1-1.2 NMSA 1978. Money from the fund shall be disbursed by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration upon vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's designated representative.

          B. As used in this section, "textbook" includes other educational media as provided by department rule. The cost of shipping and handling charges may be included in the cost of dual credit textbooks and course supplies.

          C. The instructional material bureau shall allocate and distribute money from the fund to each school district, charter school and state-supported school providing textbooks for students in the dual credit program according to procedures established by rule of the department. The rule shall include provisions for the amount and schedule of the distributions and for an accounting of the distributions by each school district, charter school and state-supported school.

          D. School districts, charter schools and state-supported schools that have money remaining at the end of a fiscal year for the purchase of dual credit textbooks and course supplies may retain that money for expenditures for the purchase of dual credit textbooks and course supplies in subsequent fiscal years.

          E. By July 1 of each year, each school district, charter school and state-supported school shall report to the instructional material bureau any money received from students participating in the dual credit program to pay for lost or damaged textbooks or unused course supplies and any money received through the sale of textbooks and unused course supplies. The bureau shall reduce the school district's, charter school's or state-supported school's distribution for the dual credit program by that amount in the succeeding fiscal year."

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