By:  Culberson                                        H.B. No. 2359
       73R2453 SMH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to voluntary payments by taxpayers for the purpose of
    1-3  funding local school districts.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 31, Tax Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Section 31.011 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 31.011.  VOLUNTARY PAYMENTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  If the
    1-8  taxing unit is a school district, a person may voluntarily pay an
    1-9  amount for the support of the district in addition to the tax and
   1-10  any penalty or interest due.  The school district shall deposit the
   1-11  payment in its general fund and may use the payment only for the
   1-12  support of the district.  The tax bill or a separate statement
   1-13  accompanying the tax bill must give notice of the right to make
   1-14  such a payment and must provide for the voluntary payment to be
   1-15  included in the same check or other means of payment as the tax.
   1-16        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.