By:  Nelson                                            S.J.R. No. 8
       73R3436 CAS-F
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment relating to an efficient
    1-2  public school system.
    1-3        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Article VII, Section 1, of the Texas Constitution
    1-5  is amended to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 1.  A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to
    1-7  the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it
    1-8  shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and
    1-9  make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an
   1-10  efficient system of public free schools.  The Legislature has the
   1-11  sole authority to define by general law the efficiency, equity, and
   1-12  adequacy of the system of public free schools it establishes under
   1-13  this section.  The Legislature is the sole department of government
   1-14  permitted to determine whether it has fulfilled the duties required
   1-15  by this section, and another department may not question that
   1-16  determination, except as provided by Article IV of this
   1-17  Constitution.  Notwithstanding any provision of this section or any
   1-18  other provision of this Constitution, a court of this State may not
   1-19  declare invalid any law on the basis that the law fails to comply
   1-20  with the duties required by this section.  This section does not
   1-21  repeal any provision of Article III or Article IV of this
   1-22  Constitution.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   1-24  submitted to the voters at an election to be held May 1, 1993.  The
    2-1  ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the
    2-2  proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to provide for
    2-3  legislative control of the methods by which state funds are
    2-4  distributed to the system of public free schools."