By: Geren, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Campbell) H.B. No. 1291          (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2017;   May 8, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on   Education; May 16, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable   Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;   May 16, 2017, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1291 By:  Lucio     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the instructional material list and supplemental   instructional materials and the inclusion of American principles in   those materials and the public school curriculum.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (h-1) to read as follows:          (h-1)  To accomplish the primary purpose stated in   Subsection (h), the State Board of Education and each school   district shall ensure that:                (1)  the public school curriculum emphasizes an   understanding of the principles underlying the United States form   of government, including the study of the Founding Fathers of the   United States, the Declaration of Independence, the United States   Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers; and                (2)  each historical event addressed in the public   school curriculum meets a reasonable standard of historical   significance, in relation to the limited amount of available   instructional time.          SECTION 2.  Sections 31.023(a) and (b), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (a)  For each subject and grade level, the State Board of   Education shall adopt a list of instructional materials.  The list   includes each instructional material submitted for the subject and   grade level that meets applicable physical specifications adopted   by the State Board of Education, that [and] contains material that   is consistent with the purpose and guidelines of Sections 28.002(h)   and (h-1), and that covers [covering] at least half of the elements   of the essential knowledge and skills of the subject and grade level   in the student version of the instructional material, as well as in   the teacher version of the instructional material, as determined by   the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 and adopted under   Section 31.024.          (b)  Each instructional material on the list must be:                (1)  free from factual errors;                (2)  suitable for the subject and grade level for which   the instructional material was submitted; and                (3)  reviewed by academic experts in the subject and   grade level for which the instructional material was submitted.          SECTION 3.  Section 31.035(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,   the State Board of Education may adopt supplemental instructional   materials that are not on the list adopted under Section 31.023.   The State Board of Education may adopt supplemental instructional   material under this section only if the instructional material:                (1)  contains material covering one or more primary   focal points or primary topics of a subject in the required   curriculum under Section 28.002, as determined by the State Board   of Education;                (2)  is not designed to serve as the sole instructional   material for a full course;                (3)  meets applicable physical specifications adopted   by the State Board of Education; [and]                (4)  is free from factual errors;                (5)  is suitable for the subject and grade level; and                (6)  is reviewed by academic experts in the subject and   grade level.          SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and   (c) of this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018   school year.          (b)  The changes in law made by this Act to Section   31.023(a), Education Code, apply to instructional materials   adopted by the State Board of Education on or after September 1,   2018.          (c)  Sections 31.023(b) and 31.035(a), Education Code, as   amended by this Act, apply only to an instructional material list or   supplemental instructional material adopted on or after the   effective date of this Act. An instructional material list or   supplemental instructional material adopted before the effective   date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the   instructional material list or supplemental instructional material   was adopted, and the former law is continued in effect for that   purpose.          SECTION 5.  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, 2017.     * * * * *