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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating the State School Safety Fund to provide |
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financial support for projects that enhance the safety of schools |
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in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 48.304 to read as follows: |
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Section 48.304. EXCESS FUNDS FOR STATE SCHOOL SAFETY FUND. |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including Section |
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48.265 to the contrary, if the commissioner of education determines |
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that the amount appropriated for the purposes of the Foundation |
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School Program exceeds the amount to which school districts are |
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entitled under Chapters 46, 48 and 49, Education Code, the |
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commissioner shall designate a portion of the excess funds, up to |
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100 percent of the excess funds to be transferred to the State |
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School Safety Fund under Article VII, Section 7, of the Texas |
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Constitution. |
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(b) The Commissioner shall then establish an annual school |
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safety grant program that is funded through proceeds from the State |
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School Safety Fund. |
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(c) Total grants awarded under this section may not exceed |
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$250 million per school year. |
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(d) Grants awarded under this section must only be used to |
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reimburse school districts for expenditures required to implement a |
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school safety plan that has been approved by the agency. |
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(e) Grants awarded under this section shall be limited to |
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$10 million per district. If there are more than $250 million in |
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requests for reimbursements, the commissioner shall |
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proportionately reduce all grant awards so that the total equals |
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$250 million. If there are any funds left over in a given school |
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year after all eligible districts have been awarded grants, then |
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these excess funds may be used to provide a second round of funding |
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to school districts who had expenditures in excess of $10 million in |
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a given school year. |
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(f) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement and |
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administer this section. |
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(g) This section is effective beginning with the 2024-2025 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but only |
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if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 88th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2023, creating the State School Safety Fund to |
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provide financial support for projects that enhance the safety of |
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schools in this state is approved by the voters. If that amendment |
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is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. |