HBA-MSH H.B. 1488 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1488
By: Kitchen
Public Education
4/9/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not authorize an independent school district to issue
bonds to purchase new school buses. Consequently, many school districts are
not able to purchase new buses to replace aging fleets or to increase
capacity.  Older buses emit more pollution and are subject to more
breakdowns and increased maintenance costs.  House Bill 1488 authorizes
school districts to issue bonds to raise the funds to purchase new school
buses. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1488 authorizes the governing body of an independent school
district to issue bonds for the purchase of new school buses.  The bill
also removes the stipulation that bonds issued by the governing body of an
independent school district be negotiable coupon bonds. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.