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."