By Luna                                         S.J.R. No. 21

      75R795 ESH-D                           

                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION

 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment appropriating money for grants

 1-2     to public school districts to acquire, construct, equip, or repair

 1-3     certain school facilities.

 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by

 1-6     adding Section 7 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 7.  (a)  In each fiscal year, there is appropriated out

 1-8     of the first money coming into the state treasury not otherwise

 1-9     appropriated by this constitution $300 million to be used to make

1-10     grants to public school districts to acquire real property, to

1-11     acquire, construct, or equip buildings or other permanent

1-12     improvements, or to make major repairs to  buildings or other

1-13     permanent improvements.  For the five-year period that begins

1-14     September 1, 2005, and for each five-year period that begins after

1-15     that period, the legislature, during the regular session that

1-16     precedes the period, may by two-thirds vote of the membership of

1-17     each house increase the amount of the constitutional appropriation

1-18     for the period.

1-19           (b)  The money appropriated by this section may not be used

1-20     to acquire, construct, equip, or repair a building or another

1-21     permanent improvement that is to be used only for athletics or

1-22     another nonacademic activity.

1-23           (c)  The legislature by law shall provide for the

1-24     distribution of the money appropriated by Subsection (a) of this

 2-1     section.  The method of distribution must be designed to provide

 2-2     assistance to as many school districts as possible while also

 2-3     providing assistance to the school districts with the greatest

 2-4     need.

 2-5           (d)  Money appropriated under Subsection (a) of this section

 2-6     that is not used in the fiscal year for which it is appropriated is

 2-7     reappropriated for the next or subsequent fiscal years for use as

 2-8     provided by Subsection (a) of this section.

 2-9           (e)  The first appropriation required by this section shall

2-10     be made for the fiscal year beginning September 1, 1998.  This

2-11     subsection expires September 1, 1999.

2-12           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be

2-13     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4,

2-14     1997.  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against

2-15     the proposition:  "The constitutional amendment appropriating money

2-16     for grants to public school  districts to acquire, construct,

2-17     equip, or repair certain school facilities."