LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session March 13, 2001 TO: Honorable Paul Sadler, Chair, House Committee on Public Education FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1936 by Dutton (Relating to referendum elections concerning the first instructional day of a school year for public school students and to the first instructional day of the first term of summer session for students at general academic teaching institutions.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** Local Government Impact This bill directs school districts to hold a referendum on the subject of the starting date for school. The referendum must submit two dates to the electorate. One date must be on or between August 21 and August 31, and the other date must be on or after September 1. The proposition must be structured in a manner to give only the two choices, not allowing rejection of both. Ballots for which no selection is made would not be counted. The referendum would be combined with any other school district election. The proposition that receives the highest vote total in the referendum would be adopted as the new starting date. A school district that adopts a year-round calendar could modify the starting date. The Texas Education Agency estimates the total of all local school districts across the state would save about $4-6 million in air conditioning expenses each school year, if the first day of school were the first day after Labor Day. The Comptroller's Office estimates the total amount of such annual savings to be $10 million. Source Agencies: 701 Texas Education Agency, 781 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board LBB Staff: JK, CT, RN