By: Moffat H.B. No. 738
73R2628 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain public school finance studies.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 16.202, Education Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 16.202. Studies. (a) On a biennial basis, the
1-7 Legislative Education Board and the Legislative Budget Board, with
1-8 the assistance of the Educational Economic Policy Center and the
1-9 Central Education Agency, shall complete each of the following
1-10 studies and develop recommended amounts where appropriate for each
1-11 year of the next biennium:
1-12 (1) <a study of> the fiscal neutrality of the system
1-13 to determine the status of the state and local finance system with
1-14 regard to the policies established under the provisions of Section
1-15 16.001 of this code, including recommendations for adjustments
1-16 necessary to maintain fiscal neutrality;
1-17 (2) the accountable costs per student to school
1-18 districts of providing educational programs, personnel, and other
1-19 operating costs that meet accreditation criteria and the provisions
1-20 of law and regulation;
1-21 (3) program cost differentials designed by program to
1-22 provide support for the added expense of high-cost courses or
1-23 programs for students participating in such courses or programs,
1-24 with the program funding level expressed as dollar amounts and as
2-1 weights applied to the adjusted basic allotment for the appropriate
2-2 year;
2-3 (4) transportation and career ladder allotments;
2-4 (5) the levels of tax effort necessary for each tier
2-5 of the Foundation School Program necessary to fulfill the
2-6 requirements of Sections 16.001 and 16.008 of this code; and
2-7 (6) capital outlay and debt service requirements and
2-8 formula elements for the requirements of Subchapter I of this
2-9 chapter or other provisions of this chapter.
2-10 (b) In conducting studies and making recommendations under
2-11 Subsection (a) of this section, the boards shall consider the
2-12 amount by which school districts' state and local fund requirements
2-13 are reduced due to receipt of federal funds.
2-14 (c) The Legislative Education Board and the Legislative
2-15 Budget Board, jointly, shall write a report based on their studies.
2-16 Not later than October 1 preceding each regular session of the
2-17 legislature, the Legislative Education Board and the Legislative
2-18 Budget Board shall provide the report to the foundation school fund
2-19 budget committee. The foundation school fund budget committee
2-20 shall consider the report in determining the amount of money to be
2-21 placed in the foundation school fund for the succeeding biennium to
2-22 finance the Foundation School Program.
2-23 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-2 passage, and it is so enacted.