By: Madden H.B. No. 2616
73R5455 CAE-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a commission to study and reorganize
1-3 school district boundaries.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 19, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter J to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER J. SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION COMMISSION
1-8 Sec. 19.251. SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION COMMISSION. (a)
1-9 The school district reorganization commission is created to develop
1-10 a rational plan for the reorganization of school districts.
1-11 (b) The plan shall provide for the delivery of educational
1-12 and related services in a manner that provides the best education
1-13 possible for students at the lowest possible cost.
1-14 Sec. 19.252. MEMBERSHIP. (a) The commission consists of:
1-15 (1) four members appointed by the governor;
1-16 (2) the chairman of the State Board of Education;
1-17 (3) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor,
1-18 who may be a member of the senate;
1-19 (4) one member appointed by the speaker of the house
1-20 of representatives, who may be a member of the house;
1-21 (5) the chairman of the senate education committee;
1-22 and
1-23 (6) the chairman of the house public education
1-24 committee.
2-1 (b) Members of the commission appointed by the governor must
2-2 represent the business and education communities.
2-3 (c) The governor shall designate a presiding officer from
2-4 among the members appointed by the governor.
2-5 (d) Appointed members of the commission serve for a two-year
2-6 term of office. The members appointed by the speaker and
2-7 lieutenant governor and the legislator members serve as nonvoting
2-8 members of the commission.
2-9 (e) A member of the commission serves without compensation
2-10 for service on the commission but is entitled to per diem for
2-11 expenses as provided by the General Appropriations Act.
2-12 Sec. 19.253. REORGANIZATION PLAN. (a) The commission shall
2-13 adopt a comprehensive reorganization plan for school districts that
2-14 considers educational quality, equity, and efficiency.
2-15 (b) In developing the plan the commission shall determine
2-16 the school district size that is adequate to support a
2-17 comprehensive education program at a reasonable cost and should
2-18 minimize tax inequities across school district lines.
2-19 (c) The plan should reorganize and consolidate school
2-20 districts in a manner that:
2-21 (1) improves student performance;
2-22 (2) reduces inequities in revenue and spending;
2-23 (3) improves state-level accountability; and
2-24 (4) reduces costs.
2-25 (d) The commission shall consider using as school district
2-26 boundaries the boundaries of county education districts.
2-27 (e) Before the commission determines the criteria that the
3-1 commission will use in developing the plan in order to achieve the
3-2 goals under Subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the commission
3-3 shall conduct hearings throughout the state regarding the criteria.
3-4 (f) Before the commission adopts a final reorganization plan
3-5 under this section, the commission shall conduct hearings
3-6 throughout the state regarding the reorganization and consolidation
3-7 plan.
3-8 Sec. 19.254. TRANSITION PROVISIONS. (a) The reorganization
3-9 plan must include provision for the distribution of the funds and
3-10 other assets and the contracts and other liabilities of a school
3-11 district that is abolished, consolidated, or otherwise modified
3-12 under the reorganization plan among the school districts that
3-13 include territory of the modified district.
3-14 (b) The school districts established by the reorganization
3-15 plan may collect and use or distribute taxes imposed by the school
3-16 districts abolished, consolidated, or otherwise modified by the
3-17 plan that are delinquent in the manner provided by the
3-18 reorganization plan.
3-19 (c) The reorganization plan must include provisions for the
3-20 maintenance of the records of the school districts that are
3-21 abolished, consolidated, or otherwise modified by the
3-22 reorganization plan.
3-23 Sec. 19.255. REPORT. The commission shall submit a report
3-24 on the reorganization plan adopted by the commission to the
3-25 governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
3-26 representatives not later than January 1, 1995.
3-27 Sec. 19.256. ACTION BY LEGISLATURE. The reorganization plan
4-1 adopted by the commission takes effect on July 1, 1996, if the
4-2 legislature does not, before that date, reject the reorganization
4-3 plan by resolution or by adoption of a different plan.
4-4 Sec. 19.257. STAFF. The Central Education Agency shall
4-5 provide staff, supplies, office space, and expertise to the
4-6 commission. The commission may request and use staff and expertise
4-7 of other state agencies including:
4-8 (1) the Legislative Budget Board; and
4-9 (2) the State Auditor's Office.
4-10 SECTION 2. The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
4-11 the house of representatives shall appoint members of the School
4-12 District Consolidation Commission not later than September 1, 1993.
4-13 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-18 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-19 passage, and it is so enacted.