By Williamson                                  H.J.R. No. 101

      75R5848 ESH-D                           

                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION

 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment providing for full state

 1-2     funding of basic educational costs,  limiting local ad valorem

 1-3     taxes for public schools, and permitting the legislature to exempt

 1-4     business property from ad valorem taxation.

 1-5           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by

 1-7     adding Section 1A to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 1A.  (a)  To support and maintain an efficient system of

 1-9     public free schools as required by Section 1 of this article, for

1-10     each school year the legislature shall, from state funds,

1-11     appropriate for the public primary and secondary schools an amount

1-12     that is not less than $5,000 multiplied by the number of public

1-13     school students for that year.

1-14           (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

1-15     constitution, a political subdivision may not impose an ad valorem

1-16     tax for the support of public primary and secondary schools at a

1-17     rate that exceeds $0.50 for each hundred dollars of valuation.

1-18           (c)  This section expires September 1, 2007.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by

1-20     adding Section 1-m to read as follows:

1-21           Sec. 1-m.  (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

1-22     constitution, the legislature by general law may exempt from ad

1-23     valorem taxation real or personal property that is owned by an

1-24     entity engaged in business and that is used for business purposes.

 2-1           (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision in this

 2-2     constitution, other than Section 1A(b), Article VII, of this

 2-3     constitution, the legislature may by general law authorize the

 2-4     imposition of taxes by the state or by political subdivisions

 2-5     necessary to meet the requirements of Section 1A, Article VII, of

 2-6     this constitution.

 2-7           (c)  This section expires September 1, 2007.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be

 2-9     submitted to the voters at an election to be held August 9, 1997.

2-10     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the

2-11     proposition:  "The constitutional amendment providing for full

2-12     state funding of basic educational costs, limiting local ad valorem

2-13     taxes for public schools, and permitting the legislature to exempt

2-14     business property from ad valorem taxation."